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Digitized by the Internet Archive 
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http://www.archive.org/details/californiasilkgrOOprev 



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Diagrams of the forms in which the branches should be laid for feeding 
the silkworm. 



CALIFORNIA 



SILK GROWER'S MANUAL, 



LOUIS PREVOST, 

PIONEER SILK CULTTJRIST OS Tin: PACIFIC COAST. 



WITH TWELVE YEARS' EXPERIENCE IN RAISING THE MULBERRY, 
and six TEARS in RAISING THE SILKWORM. 



BAN FRANCISCO: 

II. II. BANCROFT AND COMPANY 



i 3 6 •: . 



SfSA 5 

-f8 



Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year of our Lord One Thousand 
Eight Hundred and Sixty-Six, 

BY LOUIS PREVOST, 

In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the District of California. 



By transfei 

JUN 19 1915 
If 



I N D E X . 



OBAPTBB. PAGB. 

Preface 7 

Introduction, Letters, etc 11 

1. Our Climate, its superiority, and its advantages 148 

'J. Silk in California 150 

:;. History of Silk, its antiquity and commerce 166 

4. History of the Silkworm L61 

:>. The Mulberry i Moras) l»>7 

Moms Multicaulis, or Chinese 169 

do. Alba, or White 171 

do. Moretti 172 

6. The Soil 171 

Preparation of the Soil 17<> 

7. Mulberry Culture and Propagation 178 

Mode for Cuttings in California i s l 

Plantation of the Mulberry for our California Culture... 184 

i>. Mulberry Trees everywhere 188 

10, Coc TV. or Maguanerie 199 

Importance of a < 'ocoonery 199 

k. good < farm 194 

r 



VI INDEX. 

CHAVTEK. PAGE. 

Plan of a California Cocoonery 195 

11. Silkworms, the different varieties 198 

12. Modes of Eaising Silk in different countries 202 

13. Amount of Food 210 

14. Observations on feeding and quality of food 213 

15. Treatment of the Silkworms according to our climate 217 

The feeding with branches 218 

Hatching, different ages, care, etc 220 

Formation of the Cocoons 225 

Gathering of the Cocoons 226 

Select your Cocoons for Eggs 228 

How to keep the Eggs 231 

16. Talk with farmers and planters 231 

Product per acre 236 

Benevolent Societies, Orphans, etc 237 

Going into that business with a small capital 240 

Persons who have been successful already 242 

Our Pioneer Silk manufacture 243 



PREFACE 



Having been frequently solicited, by the friends of the -ilk cause, to 
publish the results of my experience and observation on Bilk-growing 
in this St.it<', I have concluded to do so; that all may be benefited 
by it. BS ntt08t of the works already published on the BUbject air lucre 
compilations from foreign authors, made up of details not at all 
applicable to what I shall term our California Silk Culture, for BUCh 
must be tli*' system by which we shall suceeed in raising the raw 
silk, which is bound to be the greatest staple of our State, ami by 
which we shall induce our farmers to turn their attention to its 
\e cultivation, as they need pay no further attention to the 

frequent croaking* of Bhort-sighted persons about the high price of 
labor. It is too lat.- now for such a ridiculous argument, because I 

have already demonstrated, hut will more fully prove it again in this 
Manual, by facta Only, that our advantages are so numerous and 
everything i- BO much in our favor here, that we certainly <■■■ 
//,< a/7/- ',„ California for //-/{/* tin C08t of many Other silk countries. 

We have the best Boil and the i ..- 1 climate to raise silk, and we will 
-0011 have a large population to produce it, because I Know, that rich 

culture, which i- -uperior to tlie mtfUS, as it LSffura*, will brings large 
emigration here from the State--, ami all part- of the world. 1 p< •;•- 
sotiallv Know, through my Correspondence, Of many who are coming 

already for thai culture ; and the publication of our California Manual 

will determine many more, as they will find in it all the information 

that they may desire on that important subject. 
We can raise here %ilk of tin very best qualikfy and I think that I 



VU1 PREFACE. 

can venture to say here, that China and Bengal will before long feel 
the effects of my efforts, which will result in the production of silk 
to compete with them. They may produce a low priced article, if 
they choose, but the quality of silk, in all cases, decides the question 
of preference. 

Fine phrases, generally, do not tell anything, and I do not like 
them ; some may say, because I cannot make them. It may be so ; but 
as my object is to be useful, I think I need offer no apology for the 
plain and unadorned pages which I offer, as I put here everything 
which I think necessary to be known, to show California as the best 
silk-producing country. 

Thousands are inquiring: What work on the subject is best; 
where shall we look for information ? As I have said before, all the 
published works are translations from foreign authors, or compila- 
tions, that are not, and cannot, in my opinion, and in that of all the 
reasoning class, be any way adapted to our fine silk growing State ; 
we have to experiment and find out what is the best way to raise 
silk, according to the climate where we are. This I have done, and 
I am offering to-day to our farmers and planters generally, the 
results of my experience on the subject. The reason why I recom- 
mend my California Silk Culture is, because it is the system 
particularly adapted to our own highly favored climate, to our more 
serene atmosphere, and perpetual sunshine during summer, and to 
the peculiar requirements of our people. The genial climate for silk 
is ours, and also the best soil for the mulberry. 

It is immense, the millions that are sent out annually for the 
importation of that article only. These millions could be retained 
among us, as California alone can produce silk, not only enough for 
our general consumption, but also for exportation. With that staple 
only, we would soon be able to pay our national debt, and our own ; 
we only need to have a Congress that understands the general 
interests of the nation, by keeping the present high tariff on the 
article for several years more. 

The demand for silk, which is now so great, is continually increas- 
ing. Since a short period of years the amount of silk consumed is 
more than doubled, and is rising in price every year. I see that, in 
1840, the price of raw silks was four dollars per pound, and at the 
present day, that same raw silk is worth seven dollars per pound, 



PREFACE. IX 

and more for the best quality. It is bound to keep increasing, as 
it is becoming more and more in fashion; and after all, no matter 
how high it -ells, if it is of good quality, silk is the cheapest of all the 
», everything considered. 
Our advantages are many in California, and, indeed, very great, 
To be duly appreciated, they must be estimated singly and individu- 
ally; but how mueh greater and more striking will they thru appear, 

if considered collectively. The decisive impulse is already given, 
and its mighty influences extending throughout our State; our people 
are awake ; hope dawns auspicious ; the day and its 1. lightness will be 
-puis, endued as are our people with fortitude, with energy, and 
intellectual resources unsurpassed. Is there one American who can 
doubt it? 

I have no desire for pecuniary benefit to myself, to grow out of 
any knowledge of the silk culture, which it may be in my power to 
impart to the public. Anything that may be a benefit to that noble 
Cause I will publish, as my earnest desire is to be useful, by aiding 
the introduction of a culture, which will make our people rich. In 
opening for them a field (and also to our country) of unceasing 
wealth, I shall feel amply eompensated for the years of practical 
experience which I have given to silk culture, from the pleasure I 
shall receive in the knowledge that my humble efforts were to some 
extent the means of introducing and establishing in our State an 
industry which will save annually many millions of dollars to our 
people, and make us the largest silk-producing country in the world. 



I N T ]{ 1) U C T 1 N . 



Last Bpring, when I agreed to write this Manual, it was not my in- 
tention, as an introduction to it, to re-publish all the letters that I had 
already written for the different papers on that important and rich 
culture, and for Bome time I thought it would not be necessary; but 
lately, in Bpeaking with some friends, who are also friends of tin- silk 
cause, they requested me to do it, and 1 have concluded to do so. I 

onfess here, that if was not very hard to determine mi 
really feel happy and proud to lay them before my readers; because, 
in perusing them, they will find by the results to-day that every word 

Ofwhal I have said about that rich industry in California, even from 

the time 1 began, is true. This will prove to them that my principles 
are, not to say or writt anything excepl what I am convinced of 

I had to search for the different papers to cut out my letters from, 
and, being in a hurry, I may have omitted Borne, but I have most of 

them. 

There are also a great Dumber of very good articles on thai sub- 
ject in all th<- principal papers of the State. 1 will try to Collect BS 

many as possible, and republish them also; but, as it is late In the 
Beason, I will nol have time for this first edition i they will be com- 
piled for the Bt cond. 

l'.\ these letters) you will observe that my opinion on Silk in Cali- 
fornia has been always the same. I have said in early days, and re 
peated it up to the presenl time, that uh an in tht bent silk country im 

i -till maintain the assertion, I have stated my res 
mv letters, and these reasons were and are the same to dai : ' 



Xll INTRODUCTION, 

we have no rain at the time of feeding, no storms, no shocks of elec- 
tricity ; nothing to disturb the worms or create any disease. On the 
contrary, we have everything to prevent it ; as you all know, through- 
out the summer we have a blue sky, with any amount of sunshine, 
from morning till night ; it is just there where our force and superior- 
ity is ; because our mulberry trees, growing constantly under the in- 
fluence of the sun's rays, produce healthy leaves, and consequently, 
healthy food, making healthy worms. But the leaves must be given 
fresh to the worms ; otherwise, if they are allowed to remain in heaps, 
and get fermented or heated, the mephitic air that they contain in 
that state would poison the worms. Therefore, it is very easy to un- 
derstand that our superiority is on account of our constant sunshine ; 
and as in other countries, their trees are growing nearly without it, in 
a damp and wet atmosphere, this cause creates the disease there. 



T II E 



SILK GROWER'S MANUAL. 



Tp m the California Fanner, Not. 'JH, 1856.] 
Extraci prou tiik Report of the Visiting Committee, Si lte 

Agrk (TLTURAL Bo* II. I v. 

The Committee first visited the garden and nursery 
of L. Prevost, which is very favorably situated near San 
• >n the river Guadsdoupe, and has quite a large num- 
ber of native oaks and other forest trees scattered ever its 
grounds, giving it a very picturesque appearance. Mr. 
arly seventy acres inclosed — a great part 
of which is in a high state of cultivation. The soil is 
admirably fitted For the purposes <>t' a nursery and gar- 
den. Mr. I*. has two artesian wells, which enables him 
t<» irrigate his grounds, and every part of his extensive 
garden shows care, industry and skill in its management. 
The nursery contains one ..!' tin' mosl extensive assort- 
ments of Bruit trees, flowering plants and ornamental 
shrubbery that ran i><- found in tli< v State. He has in 
his Dursery Dearly 1 1,000 pear trees, of ainety-two 
different varieties : over v .<»mu apple trees, of <'\<t one 
hundred varieties, and Dearly 25,000 . apri- 



14 THE CALIFORNIA 

cots, quinces, plums and cherries, of the choicest 
kinds, Over 25,000 mulberry trees are growing very 
finely. The Committee cannot pass the garden of Mr. 
Prevost without a particular notice of his efforts to in- 
troduce into our State the cultivation of the mulberry, 
and we inay safely say he is the pioneer in this new 
work of silk-raising. The Committee most warmly 
commend this enterprise, and in noticing his fine planta- 
tion of over 25,000 mulberry trees, they feel that at 
least a just and appreciating notice of his laudable ex- 
ertions is due to him at the hands of the Visiting Com- 
mittee. Mr. Prevost assured us that no country in the 
world was more favorably adapted to the raising of the 
silkworm than California, from the fact of the absence 
of electricity, which is peculiarly injurious to the worm ; 
and another favorable feature 'is the dryness of our 
atmosphere. From all the facts gathered thus far, wc> 
may look to a new era by the introduction of the mul- 
berry culture, as the certain forerunner of silk culture. 
His ornamental trees and shrubbery, such as catal- 
pas, locusts, privets, lilacs, honeysuckles, English 
walnuts, &c, are all in a most thrifty condition. The 
collection of roses amounts to over 17,000, and contain 
over eighty varieties. Mr. P. has a small flower gar- 
den inclosed with a beautiful willow hedge, and laid 
out with great taste and beauty. But few have achieved 
or deserved success in their efforts to promote the cause 
of Horticulture more than Mr. Prevost. 



BILK GROWER B MAM AL. !•> 

[From the California Farmer, i 1%;.] 

Mons. Prevost has a large plantation of the mulberry, 
of different kinds, for feeding Bilk worms. There is no 
tree that grows so rapid, and the large rich leaves make 
the limbs hang pendant like the weeping willow. It is 
certainly important that the mulberry should be brought 
into extensive cultivation, both for its merits as food of 
the silkworm, for fruit, and as an ornamental tree : for 
each the tree is valuable. 

Neatness, order, and good taste are manifest in tip-- 
gardens. Mens. P. has made a fine entrance t<> his 
grounds over the river, by a new bridge, and it will pay 
the purchaser of a quantity to visit this garden — it 
will well repay them: and Mons. 1'. is truly worthy of 
patronage, as one skilled and reliable in his hush: 



[From the Calif..: 

Till; Ti;ii MI'!! OF Tin; SILKWORM IN CALIFORNIA. 

urly seven years since we announced in this jour- 
nal that this climate WaS peculiarly adapted t>> the ; 

ing of the mulberry and the successful raising of silk- 
worms, and the manufacture of rilk, and 1 that 
incoming jrears the women of California would 
garments made of California Sill:. Each year 

that time we have called public attention to this 

important subject, and we have urged upon our 1. 



16 THE CALIFORNIA 

lature the duty they owed the State, to consider the 
importance of offering a bounty, independent of the 
trifles that we had induced the Agricultural Society to 
award ; and within the past year we received from Mr. 
Hentsch and Mr. McNulty parcels of silkworms' eggs, 
which we offered to those who desired to try the experi- 
ment, but for want of due attention on the part of 
those who tried, the successful result has not been at- 
tained until now; and to L. Prevost, Esq., of San 
Jose, will be awarded the honor of being the first to 
show the Chinese silkworms in successful operation. 

We are glad to present the following letter from Mr. 
Prevost, which we regret was not received till too late 
for our last issue ; but now we lay it before our readers, 
and hope this new field of labor for thousands of our 
people will be improved, and especially for the fair sex, 
as this is an easy employment, and will certainly prove 
in coming years a profitable one. 



San Jose, August 7, 1860. 
Editor Earmer : For want of time, I am compelled 
to write to you a few lines in great haste, to let you 
know that we have now the California silk. My silk- 
worms began to work last Sunday, and now a large 
number of fine cocoons can be seen ; as I have a great 
number and of different ages, there will be some at 
work every day for several weeks ; then those interested 
in that fine culture can come and see them, and ascer- 
tain for themselves how easy they are to raise in this 



country. Mr. Hentsch, Mr. Mailer, myself, and others 
acquainted with the silk culture, always thought that 
the California climate was very favorable to sue] 
ture, but this surpasses all our expectations. Tln-rc 
b no disease among them; I was afraid for the last 
period, but the last has been like the others, 
there will be a fine work for our Ladies who should be 
very proud to raise their own silk. There is no more 
doubt about it; we are in the very best silk-growing 
country in the world. Yours truly, 

L. Pkbvost. 



[Prom die California Farmer, Bop. 11, lwn.] 
SILK AND SILKWORMS. 

The triumph of the silkworm in California is now- 
complete. By the very handsome exhibition of coc 
floss silk, and reeled silk !!• bher with the 

silkworms at work, as shown by L. Prevost, Esq., from 
San Jose, at the Mechanics' Fair, we think we can con- 
fidently say, the triumph is comj hte. 

To Henry Hentsch, Esq., who imported the silk- 
worm eggs, and to Monsieur Prevost, who has with in- 
defatigable zeal raised the mulberry tree, warmed into 
life the • worm to work upon the L< 

and finally carried od the work until the reeled silk is 
before our eyes — to th< lemen greai praise and 

honor arc duo. and il is not too much to ask of QUI 



18 THE CALIFORNIA 

Legislature that a special notice and bounty should be 
given for the zeal, labor, and care of Monsieur Prevost, 
in bringing to perfection the first silkworms in Califor- 
nia ; and. we hope that the Legislature will cause a 
special Gold Medal to be given to Mr. P. Of course 
our Agricultural Societies can do no less than notice and 
reward him in the most honorable manner. 

" Tall oaks from little acorns grow ; " 

So from these working " worms " we know 

Labor for thousands soon will show ; 

And richest silks of brightest dyes, 

Fresh from the looms, shall feast the eyes. 

We'll " learn to labor and to wait " 

For such grand scenes hi this great State. 

How few persons of the thousands that visit the Pa- 
vilion but will pass these seemingly insignificant worms, 
without dreaming that here is the beginning of an en- 
terprise that shall count in millions annually in coming 
years in this State ! 



TFrom tlie California Fanner, Sep. 28, I860.] 
SILK CULTURE. 

We are pleased to lay before our readers the follow- 
ing letter from L. Prevost, Esq., the successful silk- 
grower of California. We here present facts from one 
fully qualified to speak. Let all now give heed, and 
another year let a thousand cocooneries be started, 
and ere long we will show California-made silk. We 



SILK GROM ER'fi MAM \L. L9 

now prophesy, that at the nexl Fair of 1861, sewing- 
Bilk of California-make will be shown* 

>0. 
Editob Farmeb : Xou reques ad you a 

few linesonthe .-ilk culture ; but it has been entirely 
impossible for me to d>> bo sooner, and now 1 am ol 
to do it in a huiry. 

I think that the principal object is to show that we 
produce silk in California to more advantage than any 
other country, notwithstanding the usual cry here, the 
labor I 
We have so many things in California in favor of that 
culture, that, in my opinion, they i\\v surpass the dif- 
ference in the price of labor. The principal are as 
follows. 

1st. The climate, which is so favorable that 1. 
• while in Euro] e, where t; 
Itivated, it is calculated the very bestyear when 
the losses are only thirty per cent.; but t 
vary from thirty to eighty per cent., according to the 
quantity of rain thi ?, with tl. 

and lightning, during the time of ,; e we 

none of such things, and consequently do r 
to lose a single worm, except bj accident. 

these accidental losses from four to ten | 
this i nee witb . , and this 

i.- to b 

it for land in Euro] e high : in 

Prance, 1 know, th >r rent only, double the price 



20 THE CALIFORNIA 

we have to pay here to buy it. Who can prove that 
they have not to take the price of these high rents from 
their profits. That item only is enough in itself to 
compensate the difference in the price of labor. 

3d. The mulberry trees thrive so well here, that 
their luxuriance of growth leaves very far behind them 
the mulberry trees in Europe ; and they give such fine 
leaves, that there is less work in feeding the worms. 

4th. The feeding and care of the worms in the silk- 
growing countries is generally done in Europe, by wo- 
men and children. "Why should we not do it here also ? 
We are not obliged for that kind of work to employ men 
at twenty-five or thirty dollars a month, when it can be 
done with half of the expense and less. The Chinese, 
who are used to that work, could be employed, if we 
have nothing better. 

5th. As everything, climate, etc., are so favorable, I 
do not see the necessity of erecting any of those costly 
buildings, as they have in Europe, for the worms. 
Here, any common adobe building, where you can regu- 
late the heat, is sufficient. 

6th. As the mulberry grows wild in this country, it 
it shows that this is the spot designated by the Great 
Master for the silk culture. 

Everything being so favorable, I am under the im- 
pression that the California Silk must be of superior 
quality, and so fine that it will command a price in the 
market over any other silk, particularly if we cul- 
tivate only the best varieties of mulberry-trees, well 
known to produce the best silk ; and that our cocoon 



SILK GROWER'S M LNUAL. l'1 

will also produce more silk. It requin . ] rally, 
some three hundred cocoons to a pound; but 1 should 
not be surprised to find that we will need here no more 
than about two hundred and fifty. 

Any person that ^sn ill only take into consideration the 
above items must be convinced that we can not only 
furnish the silk here as cheap as in Europe, hut <■},, 

Truly yours, L. PllE YOST. 



[Prom the California Farmer, Oct. 26 ' 
SILKWORMS. 

< >nc of the finest and most important exhibitions, 
made at San Jose, was the temple for the silkw 
their cocoons, and the silk. M>>!is. Prevost deserves 
very great credit for his Zealand energy in carrying on 
•cat work. A very neat arching temple of i 
- and flowers was mad'', and in these arches were 
festoons of white and yellow cocoons formm 

ranee. In the temple stood three pyramids of the 
is, as they were made in the group on bra 
of the shrub on which they wore built. In front of the 
temple were t 1 £ floss, in their Bhining 

The whole thing is now in its infancy, bul in coming 
years will become a type of various manufa 
the rich silks and satins that our women of the Golden 
State will wear. To Mons. Prevosl we shall ev< 



22 THE CALIFORNIA 

cord praise for his energy and desire to promote so 
good a work. 



[From the California Fanner, Xov. 2, I860.] 

THE SILKWOEM. 

Success! success! to our friend, L. Prevost, Esq., 
of San Jose. Before us we have one of those fine 
stands or clusters of the " silkworm cocoons," which 
were shown at the late Fairs, and which Mons. P. has 
kindly presented to us, that we may show at our office 
the proof of the success of the silkworm. 

We hope that the citizens of California will look to 
this subject ; millions of wealth are in store for us, and 
an opening for useful and profitable labor for women and 
children. As the worms can be well attended and fed, 
and the gathering of cocoons and silk-reeling all done 
by women and children, let a thousand acres of the mul- 
berry be planted this year as preparatory to this great 
interest. 

As we always desire to give due credit to all origina- 
tors of useful inventions, and to those who introduce 
articles of value into our State, we accord to Henry 
Hentsch, Esq., banker, the credit of importing the eggs 
from various sources, and Mons. L. Prevost the credit of 
maturing them, and thus proving the success of the 
enterprise. 



5ILK GROWER'S MAN1 
i the California Farmer, n 
SILKWORMS AND MULBERRY TREES. 

We are again favored with a very interesting I 
from that zealous friend (Mons. Prevost "1* San J< - l 
of those Important enterprises, the raisin-- of silkworms, 
the manufacture of silk, and the growing of mulberry 
although intimately linked together, they are 
separate enterprises, and should each of them be duly 
considered by ourcitize >rthy the earnest atten- 

tion of all who arc so situate! as to spve the matter 
ous thought. That the breeding of silkworms and the 
manufacture of silk and silk -nods will b in im- 

portant branch of industry in our State incoming years, 
we have not the least doubt. We believe the amount 
will he told in millions of dollars annually ; and it he- 
hooves those who haw land suitable to the culture of 
the mulberry to think of it in season. A- iajustl 
by Mr. Prevost, the Moths MuUicaulh will do for the 
worms in their early stages of growth : then other vari- 
-Morus Mbretti, Moru% AM"', and Mbrus .• 

The coming season there will he considerable in: 
i'elt in this enterprise, and a mor ded atten- 

tion paid to it. We shall give space in our columns for 
the information needed for it. and shall record its 
eel that our State is lar : , i 

MonS. Prevost, and t-» II. Hente all others 

who have been successful in tint- laying the foundation 
for this truly great \s<>rk. We would ord to 

Mons. Prevost due praise for his zeal in | 



24 THE CALIFORNIA 

his efforts and free offering of time and money to pre- 
pare the way for the manufacture of wine, and also of 
sugar, from the sugar-beet, to which he refers in his let- 
ters, and which we know as true, as we remember well 
his untiring efforts then in behalf of both enterprises. 
It is such labors and such men that our Legislature 
should encourage by a suitable token ; and we hope the 
time is not far distant when such labors will be duly 
rewarded. 



San Jose, November 22, 1860. 

Editor Farmer — Bear Sir : I have always observed 
in your paper the great interest you take in our home 
industry, or in other words, the prosperity of our young 
State, by advocating every new production that would 
save us from importing. We concur in the same ideas 
on that point. My thoughts and efforts always have 
been towards that great cause. Besides other things, I 
have from the beginning advocated the manufacture of 
wine. I also spent time and money to help M. Deles- 
sert establish the sugar-beet manufacture, that we are 
bound to have also in California. 

For the past six or seven years, in observing the na- 
ture of our fine climate, and seeing that the enemies of 
silkworms were not here, I always said that we were in 
the best silk country in the world ; and consulting with 
Mr. H. Hentsch, who was exactly of the same opinion, 
we then imported the seeds of the best varieties of mul- 
berry for the feeding of the worms. I have sown them 



-ILK GROWEB S .MAM \L. 25 

and raised tlio mulberry. Afterwards, Mr. EL Bentsch 
imported the silkworms' eggs; bnt they are of 
delicate nature that when they arrived here they were 
dead: aul they met the same fate the following year. 
I >ut the third time, last year, he received some from 
France in Letter order, and L succeeded in hatching 
them, and the result is now known all over California. 

.• samples of fine silk cocoons to nearly every Fair 
of our State. 

vy person acquainted with the silk culture, with 
whom I conversed on the subject, all agreed that it is 
the very best country to raise silk; anion-- them was 
one of my good friends here, Mr. T. J. Muller. who 
en engaged in the silk-culture in Switzerland for 
fifteen years. Be had SO muni confidence in the silk- 
culture in California, that he offered himself to help me 
in the first trial. This he did : and great praise is al o 
due him for our success; and this success far but] 

ations, ' 1 was aot certain that the 

would hatch. I was aot prepared, and had aot a 
suitable room for the worms ; and to have succeeded 
against such disadvantages the only explanation I can 

' p it is that we are in < lalifomia ; and. in E 

here they would have been all dead, 

but here we have not been able to discover any di i 

Now that we have the California silk befor 
that we also know that it is so easy to raise it her 
you hi in my letter of September 21, published 

or paper) it is of do use for me to reit- 
erate thes 



26- THE CALIFORNIA 

Now, I say, we must all do all we can to raise that 
important article among us ; and to accomplish it we 
must prepare for it. We must first plant the mulberry, 
but particularly the varieties that are known to give silk 
of good quality. With the Morus Multicaidis which 
has been so celebrated since the time of the mulberry 
fever in the States, some twenty-four years ago, we will 
never see such foolish speculations, because every one 
now knows that the mulberry can be obtained as cheap 
as any other trees. The mulberry has such a remarka- 
ble growth, and is as ornamental as any other trees, 
having a fine foliage ; that for these reasons it ought to 
be planted everywhere to ornament our streets, avenues, 
etc. ; and at any time the leaves may become useful, if 
you choose to raise your own silk. Besides this, plan- 
tations will also be made for the purpose of raising silk 
on a large scale. 

I wanted to say about the celebrated Morus Multi- 
caidis, that it is very good, but only for the first feed- 
ing, that is to say, for the two or three first periods ; 
while after that, the other should be used, because we 
must have in view to raise silk of the very best quality. 

The coming season I will have my worms in a better 
room, and will not have half of the trouble I had the 
first time. I must close this long letter. 

Truly yours, L. Prevost. 



3ILK QROWBB B MAM \!.. 21 

1861. 

THE SILKWORM AND SILK CULT! RE. 

We are pleased to Irani of the increasing into 
manifested for this branch of industry, which bo our 
State in its future years, will be one of great mag- 
nitude. 

The demand for mulberry trees has taken all 
the nurseries that were fur sale. It has generally been 
Supposed that the MoTUS Multicavlis is the chief variety 
for the silkworm : this is not so. The cocoons are 
much superior (so we are informed by the best authori- 
when the worms are fedupon tin- Mbru8 Alba, 
and the Morus Moretti. These, with a small portion 
of the Multicaulis, will he the food ofsilk-worms in this 
State. 

As we have often said, we are confident of the buc- 

of silk manufactures in California, and ere ten 

years from this date, the wives, daughters and sisters 

of the Golden State will be clothed in robes of silk. 

manufactured in our own State. 

We trust, if our Chief Magistrate cannot find time 

or opportunities to look after the manufacturing inter- 
ests of our State, that some of our legislators will, 
and that there may he such legislation for these info 
as they demand. 

In the present Condition of this matter — now while 

many persons are beginning to look round and Bee what 
can be done, while many are planting tin- seed of the 
mulberr? and the tree ;il-", we ask. would it no! be a 



28 THE CALIFORNIA 

wise act on the part of the Legislature for them to offer 
a noble bounty for the successful produce of the first 
five pounds of sewing-silk made in the State. 

We feel confident, that if a bounty of $1,000, or 
$5,000, or even $10,000 should be offered, it would bring 
back into the State Treasury ten dollars for one, by 
reason of the improvements and buildings, etc., which 
would be under way for the purpose. The taxable 
property in the State would be increased enough to pay 
the bounty. We hope such an interest as this will 
not be slighted. We learn, with much regret, that L. 
Prevost, Esq., the zealous friend and promoter of this 
valuable industry, has never received any just reward 
for his untiring efforts to bring this business to a suc- 
cessful issue, and although he has exhibited the silk- 
worms, the cocoons and the reeled silk, in a highly 
creditable manner, at the District Fair at Marysville, 
Stockton, San Francisco, and at the State Fair, no re- 
ward of a medal, or even a just report has been ten- 
dered him or made of this interest, except at the Fair 
at Stockton, where a diploma was awarded him, to the 
credit of San Joaquin District, be it said. 

We respectfully ask, shall so great an interest as that 
of silk culture, which will be millions annually, be 
passed by at our Fairs, while Guinea hens, lop-eared 
rabbits and white swans, have prizes from five to twenty 
dollars each ; and gold and silver goblets and cups are 
given for articles that never can advance the interest of 
the State. We hope our legislators will think of these 
things. 



SILK grower's maxial. 29 

[From the California Parmer, Marcl 

BILK PRODUCTION IX CALIFORNIA— FAVORABLE PROS 
PECTS— A NEW SYSTEM. 

We arc truly glad fco receive the following letto r from 
one who is so earnest in the cause of silk culture. As 
. Provost says, the culture of the mulberry, the 
rearing of silkworms, and the manufacture of silk, -will 
be one of the great hranches of our industrial labor in 
coming years, and we would fain hope that the Com- 
mittee on Agriculture may see the importance of giving 
attention to the subject thfa session of the Legislature, 
and offering a just bounty to this valuable interest. Wo 
hope they will make due inquiry, and not forget that 
M"iis. Prevost has done much to advance this in; 
and deserves an honorable mention. The man? 
productions here named by our correspondent demand 
a liberal bounty direct from the Legislature ( the State) 
before they can be securely introduced int.. a large and 
successful cultivation. 

Sax Jose-, Feb. 24, 1862. 
Editor Parmer : In your valuable paper, under the 
head of " New Productions," you ask for infors 
mi "hemp, canary seed, hops, flax, Chine '-cane, 

and West Iniia sugar-cane, dioscorea batatas, true 
Carolina potato, the cork-bark oak, tea and coffee." 

ou forget t-» mention the 
Knowing your opinion on that culture, I consider 
an involuntary omission. This induced me t<» writ 
a few lines, to bring your attention again t" the 



30 THE CALIFOKNIA 

which is also very important to our State, as it would 
save her many millions of dollars for imported silk. 
Please tell me why should we send all that money 
away, when we can keep it here, in raising our own 
silk? 

Since my arrival in California, it has always been my 
opinion that we were in the best country in the world ! 
But the first attempt I made, the season before last, 
has surpassed all my expectations. The finest and best 
silk has been exhibited all over the State, and thousands 
have seen it ; but many think that silk cannot be raised 
in California, to any advantage, on account of the price 
of labor. That question I consider solved, and I wish 
to say a few words to prove it. 

The first silk ever produced in California was in 1860. 
I obtained it, assisted by my friend, Mr. Muller. We 
have proceeded according to the system adopted in 
Europe for the silk culture ; but this is too much work for 
California to compete with other countries where the 
price of labor is not so high. What have we, then, to 
do, to avoid such an obstacle ? To simplify that work 
and to reduce it to less than half of what it is there. 
And I have turned all my attention toward that point, 
knowing that it was the only way to insure the success 
of silk culture in California. Then, in reflecting on all 
the advantages of our soil and fine climate, so well 
adapted for the silk culture, and combining all my 
observations, and all the ' remarks I could get on the 
nature of the worms, I found what I will call The Cal- 
ifornia Silk Culture. It is entirely different from the 



SILK GROWER'S MAMAI.. 31 

i followed in Franco or Italy. According bo tin' 
latter system, it requires volumes to explain and 
all the particulars pertaining to the culture. But the 

California culture is SO that J can give all the particu- 
lars about it in a small pamphlet of three orfour | 
and this new Bystem is so simplified that every one wiD 
understand it, and find it no more difficult than any 
other culture. 

I intend to try the California silk culture for one or 
tw<» Beasons more, bo as to perfect it. and after that, if 
properly encouraged, I will publish it for the benefit of 
the State ; and this branch, only, will he a great addi- 
tion to our home industry. 

Everything seems to he in favorof the silk culture in 
California. Besides s<> favorable a climate, the mul- 
berry trees thrive BO well here that I. have nevei' 
sueh a growth in any other country. And while the 
mulberry tree is thus useful for the feeding of Bilk- 
worms, ii is also one of our best ornamental I 
Yours respectfully, 

L, Prba 



LFron 
THE SILKQUESTION SETTLED. 

Saw •• . \ L3, It 

Editor Parmer: A- 1 stated in my letter on the 
Bflk culture, of the 24th of February last, 1 ; tve tried 



32 THE CALIFORNIA 

again my California silk culture, and exceeded beyond 
my expectations. The worms this season have taught 
me another lesson themselves, and shown me another 
point to save labor. 

In my last letter on this subject, above mentioned, to 
insure the success of the silk culture in California, I 
said that it was necessary " to simplify the work, and 
reduce it more than half of what is required in Eu- 
rope." I now say, that according to the California 
culture, one man (or lady, no matter) can raise and 
take care of more worms than six or eight could ac- 
cording to the system followed in France and Italy. 
The climate is so very favorable here, that we have very 
little to do to raise our own silk. The great objection, 
the price of labor , does not exist any more. Now it 
will devolve on our representatives to have this imporg 
tant branch of industry extended all over our State. I 
will pledge myself to prove what I have said, and will 
write a description of that culture in a small pamphlet 
of very few pages ; it is so simple that every one will 
understand it. And more, if any rich man that has 
plenty of land would make a large plantation of mul- j 
berry trees, I would go and turn all his leaves into silk 
before any quantity of persons that would like to come 
and see the California silk culture. I have certificates 
and letters from Europe, that the California silk has 
been acknowledged there to be of the first quality. 

Now, Mr. Editor, several years ago you predicted 
the success of silk culture in your paper ; but I am 
sure that you were very far from thinking that it would 



BILK GROWER'S MANUAL. 

be so easily raised. I am very happy to be able to 
prove that your opinion was well founded. Persevere, 
and continue to do all you can to induce the people of 
California to raise their own material, and keep their 
money. They can do it, because we com produce i very' 
g in this country : there is no other like it. 
It is under that impression that 1 remain. 

Yours truly, L. Prevost. 



i the California Pa 
THE SILKWORM ENTERPRISE. 

Sax Jose, August 28, 1864. 
Editor California Farmer : 

Your favor of yesterday is just received, and accord- 
ing to your wishes I answer it immediately. You ask 
me for some hundreds of ounces of silkworms 9 • gg 

tleman in Mexico. I am sorry that 1 can uot fur- 
nish BO many ounces. I only have a few ounces of my 
three or four — t" dispose of, as I only 

had raise. 1 a small lot this year, to keep no a supply of 
fresh eggs. Last year I had several orders for silk- 
worm eggs, and 1 Bold all L could dispose of, keeping 
■•illy a .-mall lot for myself. 

r. I had an order from Italy, forone hundred 
pounds, but 'u was impossible for me t<» <1" anything 
toward that big order. II' L could have had bo many it 
would have been a little fortune for me. <>nlv think of 



34 THE CALIFORNIA 

such a quantity ; at 40,000 eggs per ounce it would 
only be sixty-four millions of eggs. The reason there 
is such a demand for eggs for Europe, is because they 
are diseased there, and they know that in California 
they are not, the climate being unexceptionably favora- 
ble to their culture. For these reasons, the business 
would be one of the most profitable, to raise silk-worms 
on a large scale for their eggs only, so as to supply Eu- 
rope and some other parts of the world, whose interest is 
to get their eggs from the best sources and free from dis- 
ease. Now, what would make the business more profit- 
able, is, that taking advantage of our fine climate ; and 
according to California culture, one man can take care 
of as many silk-worms as six or eight would in Europe, 
according to the old system, which they are obliged to 
follow, as the nature of the atmosphere did not allow 
them to do as we can here. My repeated experiments, 
every year — or the last several years — convinces me 
that my system is the best, and the only one to be 
adopted in California, or any other country, that would 
possess a similar climate. 

I remember that I had promised to write you a series 
of articles on the " Silk Culture," but for want of time 
I have not been able to do it yet ; but I will write them 
as soon as my occupations will allow me a little leisure 
— have patience. 

Every time I have been in San Francisco I called 

at your office, but had not the pleasure to find you. I 

will try it again, next time — that will not be very long, 

if I conclude to take some silk and cocoons to the Fair. 

Respectfully yours, L. Prevost. 



3ILE 0ROWEB 8 MANUAL. 00 

rFrom the- California Parmer, 1 1 
BILK CULTURE. 

BILKWOBMS, >II-K CULTURE, SILKW0R1I EGOS, ETC. 

A\\ i are happy to lay before our readers the wry in- 
ting and valuable letter of L. IV .. FSan 

Jose, the pioneer silkworm grower and silk culturist of 
our State. 

We call special attention of all who feel an interest 
in the upbuilding of our State, to the facts here pre- 
i. Not only have we received one order for •">"<> 
ounces of the eggs named, (which, at the price of 
per ounce, would have been $6,000) but many other 
orders, and we agree fully with Mr. Prevost that silk 
culture will he one of the "greatest int< four 

State. 

The Califobnia Farmeb has been an earnest advo- 
cate of this branch of home industryfrom th 
number that ■ id, in January. 1854, to the 

present time. 

In another column we publish, from the Farmer, our 
views of some past dates, and often at that early date 
these views were looked upon almost with oontem 
being the vagaries of wild enthusiasm. 

We have ever Pound Mons. Prevost an earnest, zeal- 
itific worker in this enterprise, and our 
State owes him a great debt for what he has done to 
bring the enterprise ml il an issue. W e 

are glad, indeed, to herald the of other i 

with him. 



36 THE CALIFORNIA 

A few years more, and we shall see, in our growing 
State, silk manufactories as nourishing as our woolen 
factories. 



San Jose, October 21, 1864. 
Editor California Farmer : 

As I am receiving orders for silkworms' eggs, through 
the post office, or otherwise, so often, I thought to write 
you a few lines in a great hurry on that subject, think- 
ing that they would be of great benefit to many of 
your readers. Facts always need to be known, and I 
will state nothing but facts that I can prove any time. 

In 1860, when I raised silk for the first time, in Cali- 
fornia, I sent specimens of it and cocoons to all the 
Fairs of the State, and the press spoke very highly about 
it, but I heard a great many persons express thoughts 
that it could not be done in this State, on account of 
the price of labor. As here, in California, the price of 
buying three or four acres of good land does not exceed 
the price of renting one acre in Europe, I thought this, 
and employing Chinamen to do the work, would com- 
pensate for the difference in the price of labor ; but, 
besides that, I had so much confidence in the culture 
of silk in this State, that I have been thinking very 
much about it, and, by taking advantage of our fine 
climate, so much in favor of that culture, I changed 
the old way of cultivating the silk-worm, and adopted a 
system of cultivation that reduces the labor considera- 
bly, and is so simplified that one man can cultivate as 



SILK GROWEB B MAM AL. 61 

many worms as eight men could in Europe, with bhe 
old system. I have repeated it these last three years, 
ami succeeded always beyond my expectations. 

Last year I had an order from a house here, for one 

hundred pounds of silkworms' eggs, for Italy: it was 
impossible forme to do anything toward filling Buch an 
order, and 1 Bold all I could dispose of at $1 '1 per ounce, 
and kept about half an ounce formy own use. bo a- to 
have fresh eggs for this year. If I had enough eggs 
for that order of one hundred pounds, it would have 
been, even in reducing the price at wholesale, something 
about ^1 2,000. I do not know of any other culture 
that the benefits derived could come near it, as you 
have to work only two months at it, in all. 

I am very sorry that I kept such a small lot of < 
because I see that the demand for eggs continues — as 
you know I had, through you, an order from M 
for five hundred ounces, lately. A few days after I 
had another order for five pounds, from Italy : also two 
other smaller orders, and we are only at the beginning 
of the season, because thes > orders only come, generally 

during the winter, as it is the proper season I'm- them t" 

travel. T will certainly receive many other private or- 

- 'on. hut I will not he able to till any. as 1 have 

concluded to keep all the eggs on hand, so as to have a 

:_roi»d lot for next year. I am very ;_ r lad to See that iii 

Europe they will have to draw «>n California for 

because their wei atmosphere Is the cause that 
their silkworms are diseased, and thoy will consequently 
lose mosl of their crop in using dome -.and they 



38 THE CALIFORNIA 

secure a good crop by using sound eggs, imported from 
countries, as in California, where they cannot be dis- 
eased. The dryness of our climate protects them from 
the disease, which proves that California is about the 
very best spot on this globe to raise silk, which can be 
made very profitable by following what I may call the 
" California Silk Culture," which is extremely simple. 
This process would enable us to compete with any 
other nation, and help to retain, in our State, many 
millions of dollars, besides being a great profit to 
raise the worm for silk only ; but we see now that it 
would be still a greater profit to raise them to supply 
the Old Country, or any other part of the world where 
they have a wet climate. 

I consider, now, the silk question settled in this State. 
Only consider : five or ten acres planted in mulberry 
trees, the quantity of worms that could be fed from 
them, in view of the luxurious growth of the mulberry 
in this country. I am happy to be able to say that 
some gentlemen have started it already on a pretty 
large scale. I will name here two in Santa Barbara — 
they are Mr. A. Packard, and also Mr. E. Goux, who 
have planted, two years ago, tliree thousand mulberry 
trees ; that notwithstanding the dryness of the season, 
and the trees being very young, yet made two pounds 
of eggs without any trouble ; I also received a letter 
from Mr. Goux, two days ago, which confirms the state- 
ment. This is very gratifying, because these gentlemen 
expect to have a large quantity of eggs next year, if we 
have plenty of rain this winter to make the. trees grow. 



SILK GROWER^ .mam Al.. B9 

only think of this and you may form some idea of it, as 
one female lavs about one hundr* . and there are 

shout forty thousand eggs to fchi 

In 1860, when L raised silk for the first time, 1 also 
sent cocoons to our highest Seriate Societies in Europe, 
especially to Paris and Lyons, to have them teste-. 
1 have received certificates from both cities, that the 
California Bilk is of the first quality* What do we 
want more '.' 

I am for home industry, and T feed very happy, new. 
to knew that I will succeed in having that culture estab- 
lished, which will be of great benefit to our State. In 
order to encourage this useful, pleasant and profitable 
pursuit, all ever the State, I will occasionally 
through the columns of the California Farmer, any 
information that may he desired, in regard to the mode 
of planting and treatingthe mulberry tree, for the Cali- 
fornia Silk Culture. 

yours truly. L. PrEVOST. 



m the California r.-inm r, i ■ 
K ( 11/11 RE. 

am> PJZOPAOA1 INO \ win i 1! 

•80, 1864. 
"Editor ( California Farm r : 

On the L8th, L9th,and 20th inst., we had the heavi- 
est frosts in San Jose for some years ; 1 measured 



40 THE CALIFORNIA 

ice that was nearly half an inch thick on the water. 
We all expected after such a frost to have good rain, 
and this time we have not been deceived ; it began on 
Friday last in the afternoon, and continued on Saturday, 
pouring down all day and night all over our mountains, 
and in our now blessed valley. We had it also on Mon- 
day, heavy and wet, and our rivers and creeks have 
raised. Yesterday, we had but very little, and we dug 
some black locust trees and found that the ground was 
not wet all through. 

It has been raining again last night, and also all day 
to-day, and you have no idea of the effect it has on every- 
body ; you can see the joy on every face, and in fact 
we must all rejoice and thank the Great Master for 
having not forgotten us. We are all right, now, and I 
hope that it is so all over our cherished State. Now, as 
soon as the rain stops a little, every one can go to work, 
plow, sow grain, and plant trees — the sooner the better. 

In this important moment, I thought that it was neces- 
sary to make your readers remember that the advant- 
ages of the silk culture in California have been fully 
demonstrated in the columns of the Farmer — that as 
time for action and preparation is at hand, if they wish 
success they must get ready during the good season. 

Some of your readers may think that I am writing in 
order to sell mulberry trees ; I wish to tell them that 
the last drought destroyed nearly all my young trees, and 
what I have left is hardly worth mentioning. But in or- 
der to show them that I am not moved by any specula- 
tive motive, but only by the general good, I will give 



SILK GROWER'S MANUAL. ! I 

them here the varieties and the culture of the mulberry 
tree, body can raise and cultivate hia 

It is a well known fact that the mulberry has a 
.• sry luxuriant growth in California — does well in nearly 
cwvy kind of soil, but lias a kind of preference for a 
good loam;.' soil. We can show shoots here of One year. 
having from five to seven and more feet in length : this 
is, I suppose, enough. The mulberry besides furnish- 
ing the best food for silkworms, could be made i 
our best ornamental trees; but at present we have not 
to consider it under that point of view ; we have to con- 
sider it as to its value for feeding and raising silkworms. 
Hero arc the best varieties: 

1st. — The White Mulberry (morus alba). This is 
the best variety fur the culture of silk, it produces the 
very best quality. 

2d. — Another very good variety is the Morus Mo- 
reUi, which has a little wider leaf; this kind is a variety 
of the above. These two varieties are easily pro] 
ted from seed, which you have to sow in drills some 
time in February or March. To succeed you must bave 

3eeds, and for that you must get them fn>m a 

reliable store. 

3d. — Mbrus Multieaulis has a still larger loaf, hut 
is tender to frost; this variety is very good for feed- 
big the silkworm when young, suppose about for the 
This variety i- easily propagated by 
cuttin . 

After the cuttings and seedlings have been growing 
one year, it will be very web 1 t" have them replanted 



42 THE CALIFORNIA 

in nursery rows, and leave them to grow that way one 
year, and then transplant them. But to avoid this last 
work, I think they would do very well, if the best cut- 
tings and seedlings were nlanted so as to do the work 
but once ; for that you must have a field well and deeply 
plowed up before planting, as large as necessary to con- 
tain the quantity of trees you wish to plant ; one acre 
would hold four hundred and thirty-five trees, in plant- 
ing them ten feet apart which is about a fair distance 
for the California silk culture — and for that culture, also, 
they must be headed at about four feet high. 

When any other information shall be needed, I will 
always be ready to give it. But let us produce our 
own silk and supply other countries by all means. 
Yours respectfully, 

L. Prevost. 

P. S. — In my letter published in the Farmer, Octo- 
ber 28th, (No. 14) you make me say that a female lays 
about one hundred eggs, when, in the letter I wrote 
" three hundred e^s." L. P. 



[From the California Farmer, Dec. 2, 1864.] 

RAISING SILKWORMS IN CALIFORNIA. 

Steadily facts begin to develop the adaptability of our 
State as peculiarly fitted to the raising of silkworms 
and the manufacturing of silk, and there is no reason 



SILK grower's manual. 43 

in the world why California should not be eminently 
successful in this business, almost immediately, only the 
public mind has not seized upon it strongly enough to 
make a morns midticaulis fever ; but when it does 
come, it will have its run, like every other speculation, 
and then settle down into a quiet and prosperous busi- 
ness. 

Some weeks since we published an interesting letter 
from Mons. Prevost, of San Jose, upon the silkworm, 
in which he spoke of his success, and of others who 
had been successful, showing also the demand already 
for the eggs, both for home use and for France and 
Italy, the fact being now established that California 
can rear a healthier silkworm than most other parts of 
the world, and orders have come to our State for a very 
large amount of eggs the past year. 

Recently, a vessel from Japan brought to our city 
sixty-four cases silkworms' eggs, the value being some- 
thing like 820,000. These were imported here to 
order, to be immediately reshipped to France via Pan- 
ama, thence to Southampton and to Havre. 

There can be no doubt but that the raising of the 
silkworm and the preparing of the eggs for sale will be 
a profitable business for this State, as it is a well known 
fact, that of late years a fatal disease has made havoc 
with the silkworm of France and Italy, and they will 
become purchasers of ail we have to spare. 

With these facts before us, would it not be well to 
plant the mulberry, and begin the work ? Little girls 
and misses, and young women, will find it a pleas- 



44 THE CALIFORNIA 

task to feed these pretty worms, and it will be not only 
a pleasant but a profitable way to spend time ; to rear the 
worms, reel the delicate thread, and spin the silk, will be 
more honorable employment than spinning street yarn. 

We hope attention will be given to this matter im- 
mediately. 

After the above was in type we were favored with 
another valuable letter from L. Prevost, Esq., which we 
publish. 



[From the California Farmer, Xov. 17, 1865.] 
TO READERS AXD CORRESPONDENTS. 

We ask the attention of our readers to the very valu- 
able letter of the pioneer silk cultivator of the Pacific, 
L. Prevost, Esq., of San Jose. This letter speaks 
volumes, and we rejoice at his success, and feel happy 
with him at the fulfillment of our own sanguine prophe- 
sies in years past. We hope croakers against such en- 
terprises will now stop their throats and learn wisdom. 



San Jose, Nov. 12, 1865. 
Colonel Warren, Editor California Farmer : 

Dear Sir : For want of time, and other circumstan- 
ces that you know, it has been impossible for me to 
write anything to you about silk culture in our State 



SILK grower's manual. 45 

Notwithstanding the great success obtained this year, 
and the great pleasure I had in seeing it earnestly ap- 
preciated wherever I have exhibited the silk and silk 
cocoons, and to have received from the Societies the 
highest testimonials, in the shape of gold medals, etc., 
I cannot make you understand how happy I am to see 
my efforts are at last appreciated, and to see that the 
people of California begin to understand and look to 
their true interests, for I can predict to them that in 
future this branch of industry will bring more to the 
State than all the other productions together. I think 
I can take the mines in, as they are nothing but a lot- 
tery, where very few have a chance ; but with the silk 
there is no deception. Our regular, dry summers, 
without rain, -storm, or electricity, insure you regular, 
good crops, and the beauty of such an enterprise is that 
we do not fear any opposition. Any thinking man can 
understand it, and, as I have said many times, if it was 
possible, by a miracle, that the whole State be planted 
next year with full grown mulberry trees, and most of 
the people engaged in raising silk, you could not con- 
vince me that it would lower the price of silk two cents 
per pound, as we have not only California for a market, 
but we have the whole world. Silk at the present time 
is bound to raise in price. It has raised this year 
twenty-five per cent. ; then it is our interest to encour- 
age as many as possible to go into raising it, as it can- 
not be but a great benefit to the State, and as we 
live in the State we will all feel the good of it. 

I have sold my silkworm eggs for France, and ;'J1 1 



46 THE CALIFORNIA 

can furnish for the coming year, but I will keep always 
what I think I need for California, and to those who will 
raise and plant mulberry trees, I will furnish them gratis 
their first eggs ; they will only have to let me know the 
quantity of food they have, to guide me for the eggs to 
send, and that for several years. This shows how I 
wish to see competition all over our blessed State. 

The cultivation of silk is nothing, under our fine silk 
climate, and, as you know, and your readers know, I 
have been able to simplify it so much that as soon as 
I will have the " California Silk Culture " published, 
everybody will be able to raise silk as well as other pro- 
ducts. I have written already that my " California 
Silk Culture " will reduce the work on the old system 
followed in France and Italy, considerably. I have to 
say now in regard to that point, that I have raised this 
last season, myself alone, over one hundred thousand 
silkworms, and each worm making a cocoon, and this is 
the w r ork of eight persons in France or Italy, where silk 
is raised so extensively, and where millions and millions 
of families are living off this work. In Italy the pro- 
duct of exported silk exceeds in value two-thirds of ail 
other exportations together. 

Everything is in favor of silk culture in California, 
and this shows that Nature always does everything right, 
and is never forgetful ; because if the climate is so fa- 
vorable to the silkworms, it is also extremely favorable 
with our good virgin soil, to the growth of mulberry trees, 
which grow very well everywhere in this State, but of 
course, like everything else, prefer certain soils. When 



SILK grower's manual. 47 

at Sacramento I noticed the very best of soil that I 
ever saw for the mulberry tree, and I have been in- 
formed that most of the whole valley is like it. I have 
observed trees there of six years' growth that surpass 
very far anything I have ever seen. 

In order to enable everybody to raise their own mul- 
berry trees, I have, as you know, published in your 
valuable paper, about a year ago, the culture of that 
tree, either by seeds or cuttings, but I wish to mention 
here, that if any of your readers wish any more infor- 
mation about that culture, or any information pertaining 
to the silk cause, on any point that I may have omitted, 
I wish them, for the benefit of the public, to ask me the 
question through the California Farmer, and I will 
do my best to answer and satisfy them in the same 
manner. 

The enumeration of facts in favor of the silk culture 
in California are many, and they will be the subject of 
another letter, as soon as possible ; but I will write to 
you probably next week about the premiums offered by 
the State on silk. It was not my intention to exhibit 
anything this year, so I was not prepared, but I intend 
to prepare for next year, so as to make everybody stop 
to look at my exhibit. It was only through the sug- 
gestion of my friend, Mr. H. F. Williams, that I ex- 
hibited at the Mechanics' Fair, and the State and Stock- 
ton Fairs. I am very glad that I did so now. It has 
attracted the attention of the public, so that now we 
can consider that the impulse is given. But there ifi 
one thing that you do not know, which will do ;i great 



48 THE CALIFORNIA 

deal towards engaging a large number in this sure and 
profitable business, and I shall have the pleasure of 
detailing to you and your readers to-day, what it is. 
These are the facts : 

I had lately the pleasure to have the visit of two 
representatives of the two largest silk houses in Europe, 
on their return from China, where they bought a very 
large quantity of silkworm eggs. They are on their 
way back to France. They took the cars to see me, 
and get information about the silk culture in California. 
These gentlemen are scientific and practical silk-grow- 
ers and manufacturers. I told them everything about 
our climate and the silk in California. I have shown 
them my silk cocoons, and where I have raised them ; 
the mulberry trees, etc. I gave them cocoons and 
eggs as a present for their houses, and they gave me a 
fine lot of a very good variety of silkworm eggs from 
China. Knowing the silk business thoroughly, they 
were apt to understand and appreciate everything per- 
taining to it. They were so very well pleased with 
what they have learned in their visit to San Jose, that 
they are coming back next summer, each of them with 
the necessary capital to buy something like one hundred 
acres each, to raise silk and silkworm eggs on a large 
scale ; and they very likely will be the cause of several 
other silk-growers to come from Europe. 

What do you think, Colonel ? Is it not your opinion 
also, that after this the silk business will be fairly 
started in California ? All this gives me the idea to 
write to France, to some of the leading papers, about 



silk grower's manual. 49 

silk in California. This I think would induce a good 
many French and Italian silk-growers to come out and 
establish themselves here, as we can very easily demon- 
strate to them the superiority of our climate over theirs. 
Let me know your opinion about my idea. 

I learn that the mulberry plantations of our friends, 
Messrs. Packard & Goux, of Santa Barbara, are doing 
finely, and that they will be able to raise the coming 
season a very large quantity of silk cocoons. 

By what I can guess, my presence at Sacramento 
will be the cause of the planting of very near a million 
of mulberry trees. I have not been able to learn to 
what extent they will be planted in San Joaquin valley, 
but we already have from last year quite a plantation 
there by Mr. Glessing. 

Now, Colonel, you ought to be proud for having been 
in favor of that culture, now that the results are known. 
At first your readers would hardly notice your remarks 
on it ; but they will find that the culture in California 
will leave far behind all other culture or industry as to 
product. Only look at it for a moment in the future. 
Let us look and consider the thousands upon thousands 
of people to which this new industry will give employ- 
ment, and consider also that it is an easy work, that 
can be done by aged persons, as well as by the young 
folks of both sexes, to raise and to manufacture it ; let 
us consider these rich goods that our ladies are so 
happy to wear, coming out of our numerous manufac- 
tories ; let us look to the immense quantity of goods 
that will be shipped on board of our vessels, to be car- 



50 THE CALIFORNIA 

ried away to every part of the world ! Oh ! how happy 
should I be if I could live long enough to see all that. 
I have made my home in California, and nothing now in 
the world could induce me to leave her — we cannot be 
separated, except by death. 

I cannot close this letter without letting you know an 
important point that I have learned in the company of 
those experienced silk-growers, to whom I refer above, 
and this could be headed — " California Silk a Superior 
Article." Their opinion is that our climate and soil 
being so superior, that by selecting every year the very 
best cocoons for the eggs, for our own use, we will 
obtain a California variety that will surpass everything 
known elsewhere, as to size and quality. We must not 
forget this. 

Now I will close this letter, with the hope that your 
numerous readers will be pleased to know all these facts. 
They will find me always ready to tell them everything 
I know that pertains to the prosperity of our beloved 
State. Yours truly, 

L. Prevost. 



[From the California Farmer, April 19, 1866.] 

SILK CULTURE IN CALIFORNIA. 

[We lay before our readers another interesting and 
valuable letter from the Pioneer Silk Culturist, L. 
Prevost, Esq., of San Jose, whose earnest zeal for the 
cause he has espoused, is worthy of all praise, and 



51 

whose devotion to the best interests of our State over 
and above his own self aggrandizement, deserves all 
honor. 

Had Mr. Prevost been like some parties who were 
fierce for great bounties by the State, he would have 
secured a large sum to himself; but he labored hard 
and was successful in changing these bounties, and 
now they will be widely scattered in small sums. May 
success and honor crown such men. 



San Jose, April 16, 1866. 
Col. Warren, Editor California Farmer : 

Dear Sir : In sending you last week the Cerratonia 
seed, I wrote you in a great hurry — a few lines only — 
telling you that the news about silk culture was cheering. 
I am not through yet answering all the letters that came, 
during my absence, from different parts of the State, 
and also several from France, on the silk question. I 
conclude to stop a minute and write you a few lines, to 
let your readers know what is going on about that im- 
portant branch of industry. They will excuse me for 
being obliged to write in such a hurry. I hope to have 
occasion to talk more with them on the subject. 

It appears from my silk letters, that we have in our 
State all the men for every branch — in fact all the 
elements among us, from the planting of the mulberry 
up to the manufactured silk, in all shapes, ready for 
our ladies. 

In the letters from France I see that we will have 
quite a number of silk-growers, spinners, ami manufac- 



52 THE CALIFORNIA 

turers. I wish to remark to you that one of them had 
my name through the columns of the California Far- 
mer, and that in the south part of France. I wish also to 
inform you of a very important fact, and that is, in a 
few months we shall have our pioneer silk manufactory. 
A friend sailed last Tuesday on the steamer to Panama, 
on his way to New York, to buy all the necessary ma- 
chinery, and I hope at our next Fair we will have the 
first California Manufactured Silk. This will be an 
inducement for many to go into this fine and profitable 
business, because we are assured of a market at home 
for our silk cocoons. I think that we will be able to 
furnish that manufacturer with four or five hundred 
thousand this year. 

You have already published in your columns the 
encouragement offered by the State. It is very impor- 
tant to see that that bill has passed in that shape — that 
it is an encouragement for all that will go into it, all 
over our blessed State, and that for four years, this 
culture being properly encouraged, will induce a great 
many to go into it, and the culture will be well started, 
after which it will not need to be encouraged, as it will 
pay itself such profits that we will soon have silk man- 
ufacturies in all the principal cities of the State. Now 
that such an encouragmeent by the State is given I will 
give another ; I will part with the California silk culture 
and give to everybody all that I know about it. I hope 
in a week or twelve days to begin to write the California 
Silk Manual, in which I will give first the culture of 



silk grower's manual. 53 

the mulberry tree, and its propagation by seed and by 
cuttings ; after the mulberry our California silk cul- 
ture, or the management of silkworms. 

Besides writing the California Silk Manual, I will do 
two public feedings or treatment of worms, from eggs 
to eggs, or the whole process — the first in one of our 
halls in San Jose, beginning the 15th of May next, and 
the second in the Agricultural Hall at Sacramento, 
beginning on the 10th of July. In that way our 
people who need information, will get it. I will do all 
in my power to make them understand. All those who 
take -an interest in it will have a good opportunity to 
learn, and when they find that it is so simple under our 
fine climate, and that it is a work that can be done by 
ladies and young folks, and also aged persons not fit for 
harder labor, they will thus be enabled to go into it, 
and particularly when I will give them the means to do 
it with a very small capital. This work can be under- 
taken by all. As to the advantages of our climate 
over the other countries, I have fully demonstrated in 
my previous letters. I wish particularly to remark 
that the beauty of that culture is, that we do not fear 
any competition ; on the contrary, we need it, because 
our market for that article is the whole world, and our 
climate being so superior, our silk is of the first quality, 
and consequently we will get the highest price for it. 

Instead of sending seven millions of dollars out of 
the country for imported silk, we must all go to work 
and do all in our power to retain that amount among 



54 THE CALIFORNIA 

us, and make the millions sent out come back with a 
compound interest. Let us do it — we can ! ! 

Respectfully yours, L. Prevost. 



[From the California Farmer, May 10, 1866.] 
SILKWORMS— FEEDING AND CARE. 

San Jose, May 8, 1866. 
Editor Calif oi'nia Farmer : 

My Dear Sir : A few days after I started to Sacra- 
mento, where I have been nearly two months, my wife 
sold some silkworm eggs to a party from Santa Barbara, 
and afterwards left my two boxes of eggs in my office, 
when they should have been kept constantly in the coolest 
part of the cellar. On my return, I put them back 
immediately into the cellar ; but it was too late ; they 
were prepared to hatch — having been so long a time 
under the influence of hatching heat, and the other day 
in going to visit them I found them mostly hatched out 
and the balance hatching. I have now between eight 
hundred thousand and a million of them, and as, in 
and about San Jose there is food for hardly one hun- 
dred thousand at present, I -am obliged to go to Sacra- 
mento, where I have food for them. Thus it will be 
seen that it will be impossible for me to do the " public 
feeding " at San Jose this season, as anticipated. It 
will be reserved for next season. 



silk grower's manual. 55 

I will leave some worms with my wife to take care of, 
in case anybody wishes to see them there. 

I will have a grand exhibition of silk and silk co- 
coons at our Santa Clara Fair, on the 18th of Sep- 
tember, next, and will give there all the information 
needed on that important subject. I will see that in 
the future such an accident will not occur again. It 
has never before occurred with me during the five 
years that I have been raising the silk in California. 
Yours Truly, L. Prevost. 



[From the California Fanner, May 17, 1866.] 
SILK CULTURE. 

Sacramento, May 14, 1866. 
Col. Warren, Editor California Farmer : 

Dear Sir : I arrived at Sacramento with my large 
family of silkworms. We arc, I suppose, about two mil- 
lions altogether, those hatched and those hatching now. 
They are doing finely, and seem to be very comfort- 
able; theywill soon fill up the whole room.. I will do 
every clay all in my power, to show and tell every tiling 
about silk culture to all who wish information, so as to 
enable every one that will attend the whole process, to 
conduct the business successfully themselves. It is 
very important for the country that the knowledge of 
silk culture should be spread all over it, and this would 



56 THE CALIFORNIA 

be attained if every locality would take steps to appoint 
a person (gentleman or lady) to be here present during 
the whole. process, and thus they would be able to learn 
it to all those of their own locality, and in doing this, 
with very little trouble and expense, silk culture would 
soon be known all over the State, and thus the whole 
people would be benefitted. Our women will find in it 
an agreeable and profitable employment. In France it 
is a part of the education of young women ; they 
every one of them receive a small lot of eggs, they 
hatch them, feed the worms and raise the cocoons; 
thus they are familiar with a work that may be very 
useful to them afterwards. 

Respectfully yours, L. Prevost. 



[From the California Farmer, June 7, 186fi.] 
THE SILKWORMS AT SACRAMENTO. 

We give our readers the following note from Mons. 
Prevost, from Agricultural Hall, Sacramento, relative 
to the condition of his " silkworms," and thus keep our 
readers posted as to their progress. 

It will be seen that our pioneer is at the " post of 
duty," doing all he can, and promises our readers some 
interesting letters soon, relative to the superiority of 
his " silkworm system." 

We can also inform our friend that the eggs he kindly 
gave us (which were also hatching) the day he passed 
through this city to Sacramento, are doing nobly with 



SILK grower's manual. 57 

us, and our little band of a few thousand are growing 
finely, and we shall try and show him some splendid 
cocoons, as we have a liberal supply of mulberry leaves 
in our garden, and our daily feeding is very interest- 
ing to us. 

Will our friend Prevost please see the letter of in- 
quiries about silk culture in another column, and ren- 
der us such aid as the cause needs. 

Mons. Prevost, as a Florist, will also read with 
pleasure, the letter from Mr. Hogg, from Yokohama, 
Japan. 

Sacramento, June 6, 1866. 
Editor California Farmer : 

My Dear Sir : I see in your last issue that you have 
been visiting the silkworms at San Jose, and you say that 
the little trouble and care under my system, will soon 
bring that important branch of business into notice . You 
have said a great truth, because the superiority of my 
system is now fully demonstrated. A letter from my 
wife, dated May 31st, says that her worms are making 
their cocoons ; while my worms, of the same age of 
those I left with my wife, have only begun yesterday. 
She is then seven days ahead of us here at Sacra- 
mento. The reason is, here I cannot follow my system, 
as we have to depend on others to get the food, they 
will not allow us to cut the branches. This will be the 
subject of a letter when I will have time. I have not the 
time at present, because this way of feeding witli the 
leaves only gives us ten times more work, and it is not 
half so good. In great haste, 

Yours truly, L. Prevost. 



58 THE CALIFORNIA 

[From the California Farmer, June 14, 1866.] 
SILK CULTUEE. 

Sacramento, June 11, 1866. 
Col. Warren, Editor California Farmer : 

Dear Sir : I have read with great pleasure the 
letter in your last number from your correspondent H. 
If I had a little time, all his questions could be an- 
swered, as I see he is right, and has a true idea of the 
subject. In regard to the cocoonery, I can show you 
at any time a full plan of those in France, but we do 
not need here such expensive ones, as we have to do a 
very little of what they have to do there. It is my 
intention to write a special letter on that important sub- 
ject, and give my plans and views on a California 
cocoonery. I have received the leading French papers 
on silk, giving information on silk all over the globe, 
prices, etc., etc., and containing my letter on Silk in 
California. I have also very important documents on 
silk, enough to have two or three columns in your pa- 
per every week. 

Our million of worms here are doing very well so 
far. Please excuse me for writing to you in such a 
hurry. The letter from my old neighbor and friend, 
Mr. Hogg, pleased me very much. 

Yours truly, L. Prevost. 



SILK grower's manual. 59 

[From the California Fanner, July 12, 1366.] 
SILK CULTURE. 

LET TEH FROM MoNS. pREYOST ABOUT SlLKV.'ORMS AT SACRAMENTO. 

Brannan Ranch, July 7, 1866. 

Editor Fanner — Dear Sir : I have been so much 
in a hurry all the time at Sacramento that I have not 
been able to find a minute to write to you before. 

As the silk culture is before the people, and as it is 
important to all to know something about it, the public 
has a right to know how and why we had the disease 
on the worms at Sacramento. It will be seen that it is 
not owing to climatic circumstances but to a combina- 
tion of a great many unforeseen difficulties that I have 
been laboring under there and could not avoid. 

During the five years that I have been raising the 
silkworm in California, previous to this year, I have 
never observed any disease among the worms because I 
hud fresh mulberry feed to give them, but in the Agri- 
cultural Hall what had I to contend with ? 

1st. In the beginning, when I was in need of very 
tender leaves for my young worms, I was receiving old 
dusty leaves that worms three weeks old would hardly 
have been strong enough to eat, so that it is very easj 
to see that they have been suffering right at the start. 

2d. With the exception of a few days, we had con- 
stant cold weather from time to time, the Sacramentans 
say they never saw the like of it before. 

3d. I have been obliged many times to feed with 



60 THE CALIFORNIA 

wet leaves, which was enough to make any worms 
sickly. 

4th. As I had to depend on a great many persons 
for the food ; we were requiring it all from the vicinity 
of Sacramento, Marysville, Nicolaus, Lincoln, New- 
castle, Folsom, etc., etc. The leaves coming in bags 
were withered and nearly all the time heated — this last 
condition was sufficient to kill them all. 

5th. I have never been able while there to have 
them fed regularly or full fed. Sometimes fed but 
twice and other times three times, w T hen they ought to 
have been fed four or five times a day. It is very 
extraordinary that under such bad treatment they kept 
looking and doing well for nearly six weeks, until the 
17th of June. 

6th. On that day all the mulberry food was exhausted 
and we had no more to give them, so we were obliged 
to give them " Osage Orange." This forced change 
from their natural food, the mulberry, started the dis- 
ease, and they commenced dying by large numbers 
every day ; some of them started to make their cocoons 
to the number of fifteen thousand. 

I feel certain that you and the public, who can judge 
correctly, will all agree with me, that to have so many 
cocoons, under a combination of so many bad circum- 
stances, and call that a success, it certainly speaks 
very highly in favor of our climate for silk culture, 
because elsewhere one of these reasons would have 
been enough to have killed them all. I have told many 
persons that this is no reason to think that Sacramento 



silk grower's manual. 61 

is not as good a place as San Jose for silk worms. Let 
us but feed them properly with fresh food, and we will 
have everywhere the same grand result. Some time 
after our loss, I was very glad to hear from different 
persons to whom worms have been given, after my 
arrival here, and all those who have fresh food on hand, 
write that the worms have done well and made fine 
cocoons. This is the confirmation of all I had said 
before about silk culture in Sacramento Valley. My 
opinion is that most of our State is generally adapted 
to silk culture. 

By the information I receive, Santa Barbara is also 
as good as Sacramento and San Jose valleys. During 
my stay at Sacramento, I have not been able to show 
the California silk culture as I wished. I had to ex- 
plain our trouble, because my way of feeding is with 
branches, and this is the best for California, for three 
very good reasons : 1st, it is a great labor-saving ; 2d, 
the leaves on them keep fresh a longer time, and allow 
the worms to eat them all; 3d, it keeps the worms 
properly ventilated, and this contributes largely to im- 
prove their health. 

The reason that I have not been able to show the 
success of California silk culture, is, that everybody 
wished to keep every part of their trees so as to make 
cuttings the coming season, they would allow us to take 
nothing but the leaves. I am very glad to see the 
dispositions taken by our people to propagate, but it. 
gave us ten times more Avork. 

In regard to cuttings, I found one way to make ;i 



62 THE CALIFORNIA 

great many more, and have every one to grow. I have 
stated it to a great many persons ; but I will publish it 
in time for the coming season, in order that every one 
may be benefited by it. 

In going to Sacramento I left a lot of the same 
worms with my wife. In taking eare of them she had 
to follow my system, knowing no other. She wrote me 
that she had none sick, and they made their cocoons 
just seven days ahead of those of the same lot that I 
had in the hall. This is another item of the California 
silk culture. When kept vigorous they go to work at 
their time, and when suffering it keeps them back. 

As I had agreed to come and do a feeding in the 
Agricultural Hall, I came to fulfill my promises, and 
made up my mind to let the public know everything — 
the good and bad circumstances — so now every one can 
see and judge for themselves ; and, knowing the facts, 
they will see very well that there is nothing to discour- 
age any, or injure the cause in any way. Let us plant 
mulberry trees everywhere, and have plenty of fresh 
food at our doors, and every thing will be all right ; 
but we cannot expect to do anything without the proper 
food. 

I feel it my duty to state here, before closing my 
letter, that the officers of the State Agricultural Society 
have done for me all they possibly could do, and the 
Secretary, Mr. Hoag, in particular. Without his aid I 
should have had to give it up, because anything I could 
say would be below the level of his courage, energy, 
and devotion to the noble cause. 

Truly yours, L. Prevost. 



63 



[From the California Farmer, August 9, 1866.] 
SILK CULTURE— NEW SERIES. 

LETTER NUMBER ONE BY L. PREVOST. 

San Jose, Aug. 7, 1866. 
Col. Warren, Editor California Farmer : 

Dear Sir : In a previous letter, from Sacramento, I 
told you that I had plenty of documents upon the 
important question of silk. I will begin to lay some 
before the public, and will take from these documents 
everything that can advance the cause ; and arrange 
every part of them as may apply to California, or any 
of our States, where the climate is favorable to silk 
culture. I will begin with a very remarkable address, 
here before me, delivered by the Rev. D. 0. McLean, 
before the American Silk Society, in the Hall of the 
House of Representatives, at Washington, December 
12, 1839. 

IMPORTANCE OF SILK CULTURE. 

Rev. Mr. McLean begins thus : 

Mr. President — The Committee appointed to inula 1 
arrangements for the exercises of the evening, have 
requested me to accompany the resolutions read by 
your Secretary, with some remarks. Conscious of my 
inability to meet the just expectations of this Society, 
owing to the shortness of the time allowed for prepara- 
tion, I nevertheless consented to perform the service to 
the best of my ability. Were my ability but half equal 



64 THE CALIFORNIA 

to my zeal, in the noble cause in which we are engaged, 
I might then hope to present you something worthy of 
the occasion. That our country is experiencing great 
and perplexing embarrassments ; and that we are far 
from enjoying, as a nation, the plenty and prosperity 
which our almost boundless resources lead us justly to 
expect, is painfully felt by all our citizens. We may 
blame our Government or our banks, but whatever 
agency they may have in our difficulties, they do not 
directly produce them. Such are our real or imaginary 
wants, that we consume more than we produce ; and as 
long as this is the case, neither our Government nor 
our banks can furnish us effectual and permanent 
relief. Our imports have exceeded our exports ; our 
consumption has gone beyond our production, for years, 
in an alarming degree. The commercial balance against 
us, this year, will probably fall little short of fifty mill- 
ions of dollars ; added to which is the annual interest 
on State loans amounting to full twelve millions of dol- 
lars more. That is, we are this moment in debt to the 
amount of upwards sixty millions of dollars, besides a 
debt on time for somewhere near two hundred millions 
of dollars, and this debt must be paid. Our creditors 
are themselves embarrassed at home, and they must 
and will have their money. Here is the cause of the 
melancholy prostration of business in our whole country, 
the stoppage of banks, the ruin of merchants, and the 
downward tendency in the price of all the products of 
our soil. Look where we will, no permanent relief can 
be found, but in the actual products of that which will 



silk grower's manual. 65 

liquidate our present debt, and the possession of which 
will diminish our importations m time to come, or serve 
as a valuable export in exchange for foreign products. 
But what can we produce that will promise these 
desired results ? 

Shall it be breadstuffs, the staff of life ? That we 
have an immense territory adapted to the production of 
grain, to an almost unlimited extent, is undoubtedly 
true ; but where shall we find a market for anything 
like the quantity of grain that would be necessary to 
meet the annual balance against us, and at a price that 
would be an adequate return to the grower ? The 
corn laws of England, framed with great wisdom for 
the development of her own agricultural resources, 
amount to an actual prohibition of our breadstuffs. Her 
ports are never open to the introduction of foreign 
grain, until by reason of actual scarcity, or monopoly, 
the price reaches a certain maximum measure ; then 
free ingress is allowed to the whole world, when the 
price falls below the maximum, and her ports close. 
Other nations of Europe, in most cases, cither produce 
their own breadstuffs, or can procure them nearer home 
and to better advantage than from us. 

Shall we rely, then, for relief on the production of 
grain ? This we cannot do — at least until our national 
legislature, by wise countervailing regulations, open for 
us a more certain and steady market than is now fur- 
nished in any part of the world. Millions of bushels of 
wheat are at this moment on hand in the single Stales 
of Indiana and Michigan, which would quickly go to 



66 THE CALIFORNIA 

Europe as a remittance if there was there an open and 
ready market. 

Shall we turn to cotton, the great staple of our nation ? 
Even this, in all its magnitude, is unequal to produce 
the desired results. The supply of cotton already equals 
the demand at remunerating prices. Other nations, as 
well as our own, produce this article, and will undoubt- 
edly continue to produce it in an increasing quantity as 
long as it will command adequate returns. India, 
China, Asia, Turkey, several of the islands of the In- 
dian Ocean, Egypt, Mexico, Brazil, and Texas, all pro- 
duce cotton ; and all will continue to produce it while 
remunerating prices continue. If we therefore labor to 
swell the production of cotton further, the result must 
be such a reduction in the price that it must entirely 
cease to be a valuable product at all. The cost of pro- 
duction will equal or exceed the price obtained ; besides, 
when more than one quarter of a large and rapidly in- 
creasing section is devoted to this article, it is at least 
questionable whether the principles of political economy 
do not forbid other portions of our country to depend on 
cotton, while they continue destitute of any valuable ex- 
ports. 

Indeed, it may be fairly questioned whether the rela- 
tion between the demand and the supply of cotton is 
not at this moment such that the individual interest of 
cotton growing, as well as the interests of the whole 
country would be promoted, if one-third less cotton were 
produced, and the labor necessary to produce this third 
was devoted to the production of other valuable articles 
of export. 



silk grower's manual. 67 

What, then, I ask again, shall meet the balance 
against ns ? Shall we turn to our rice and tobacco 
fields ? These, indeed, form a respectable item in 
annual exports, but they are utterly inadequate to ac- 
complish the result desired ; and neither can be materi- 
ally increased to advantage. Where, then, shall we seek 
for relief? Is it answered, diminish our imports ? True ; 
but where shall we begin ? What do we import now to 
any considerable extent that is not absolutely necessary 
to the real or imaginary wants of a great and rapidly 
growing nation ? Will a prosperous people, with unlim- 
ited resources, submit to real or imaginary privations 
because we read to them homilies on political economy ? 
Is it not morally certain, that as our nation increases our 
consumption must also increase, and our importations in 
a corresponding degree ? The only hope of a diminution 
of imports, is home production. We must produce, for 
home consumption, some important article, and in this 
way lessen importations, or we must produce something 
largely for export that will balance our account current 
with other nations. Once more, I ask, where shall we 
turn for relief? What shall we produce ? Plainly. 
whatever it is, it ought to be something which we largely 
consume, which will command a high and certain market 
abroad, and which our country can produce. And what 
article, I ask, is this ? You anticipate my answer. I 
fearlessly affirm, in my deliberate judgment, the produc- 
tion of silk alone will meet the exigency of the case. 
Silk must become a great national staple in America, 
if we would secure and perpetuate individual and n;i- 



68 THE CALIFORNIA 

tional prosperity. When this becomes the case, and sir, 
I honestly fear, not till then, under the smiles of a 
gracious Providence, and the benign influence of a pa- 
ternal government, we may walk abroad with proud in- 
dependence — secure from the vexations and embarrass- 
ments which, to a greater or less extent, invariably 
attend a debtor nation. 

Here is an article which we largely consume, an arti- 
cle which we cannot dispense with, which the nation must 
and will have, either produced or imported, in annually 
increasing quantities. 



[From the California Farmer, August 16, 186fi.] 
SILK CULTURE— NEW SERIES. 

LETTER NUMBER TWO. BY L. PRETOST. 

San Jose, August 7, 1866. 
Col. Warren, Editor California Farmer : 

Dear Sir : — Next to food, the chief want of man in 
every state of society, is clothing. This, in all civilized 
countries is produced from wool, flax, cotton, and silk. 
The increasing extent to which the silk enters into the 
clothing of the civilized world is amazing 1 In our own 
country it pervades every class of society, and enters 
largely into the holiday and even daily habiliments of 
12,000,000 of people. The average annual importation 
of silk into the United States, during the last five years, 



SILK grower's manual. 69 

iras $18,273,114. In the year 1S36 it rose to the enor- 
mous sum of between $25,000,000 and $26,000,000. 
Now the mere abstraction of such an enormous item from 
our indebtedness would almost render us independent. 
(This data was made for the year 1839. — Ed. F.) 

But should we even produce this article to twice over 
the extent of our own wants, a ready foreign market is 
open for all that we can produce of the raw material, at 
most liberal prices. England alone, where lies most of 
our indebtedness, manufactures silk probably to a great- 
er extent than any other nation. Her manufactured silks 
amounted last year to the enormous sum of $72,000,000. 
What a splendid prize is this for which to contend. And 
of the raw article she consumed nearly or quite 
$17,000,000 worth; and the whole of this large supply 
must be drawn from abroad. England cannot produce 
the raw silk ; she has made repeated attempts, but owing 
to the humidity of her atmosphere, or to some other 
cause, she has always failed, until she has given it up in 
despair. She must, then, rely entirely on other nations 
for the vast amount necessary to carry on her extensive 
manufactures. She draws her supplies now mainly from 
India and Italy, but would unquestionably draw it main- 
ly from us, could we produce it, because we furnish a 
better article than she can elsewhere procure, as she 
self acknowledges. England alone would therefore fur- 
nish a ready market at fair prices for all the raw silk 
which we can possibly produce, even if our produ< 
should far exceed the most sanguine hopes or desires we 
have ever dared to indulge in; because consumption 

4* 



70 THE CALIFORNIA 

will yet increase in proportion to the increase of produc- 
tion. 

During the last four or five years the .consumption of 
the raw material has actually increased about 2,000,000 
lbs. 

France, too, produces less of the raw material than 
she requires for her manufactories. In 1835 she ex- 
ported some $22,700,000 of manufactured silks, and 
imported some four or five million dollars worth of the 
raw material ; foreign demand, then, does actually exist 
to an almost unlimited extent ; a wide door invites us 
to enter and occupy. 

You may swell the product even beyond the exports 
of cotton, which the last year amounted to the enor- 
mous sum of $81,000,000, and not sensibly affect the 
price of raw silk, certainly not so as to prevent adequate 
returns for the costs of production. If our embarrass- 
ments then are measured by millions, here is an article 
the home consumption and the foreign demand for which 
will also count by millions — will meet the exigency of 
our case. Every State in our Union may remit the 
annual interest on its foreign loans, in bales of raw 
silk, aye, and may ultimately remit the principal, too, 
without exceeding the demand. 

Here, then, certainly is an article which we largely 
consume at home, and which will command a ready 
market in any quantities abroad. But can we produce 
it ? Why, I ask in reply, can we not ? Nature has 
surely thrown no insurmountable obstacles in our way ; 
we are nearly or quite on the same parallel of latitude 



71 

with the principal silk-growing countries of the world ; 
the mulberry which furnishes food for the silkworms we 
know will flourish here, because in very many portions 
of our country it is of spontaneous growth, and even 
the more valuable kinds which have of late years been 
introduced into our country, which have been supposed 
incapable of enduring the rigors of our Northern win- 
ters, are found by actual experiments everything that 
their warmest friends could desire. In the actual pro- 
duction of silk, experiments have been made in every 
period of our colonial as w T ell as national existence, 
which have uniformly resulted in the production of silk 
of as beautiful a texture and luster and as strong a 
fiber as is produced in any country ; especially have 
experiments been made during the last few years 
from Maine to Florida, which have triumphantly set- 
tled the practicability of producing silk in our country. 
There is something in the dryness and elasticity of our 
summers which seems to adapt our country to a peculiar 
degree to the production of silk ; we can produce it, 
therefore, just as certainly as we can produce corn or 
wheat. But can we produce it to a profit ? Are not 
the circumstances of our country such that the cost of 
production will equal if not exceed the value of the 
article produced ? Here, it must be confessed, is the 
consideration which must be decisive on the whole sub- 
ject, both in an individual and national point of view. 
Individuals will not embark in any kind of business, or 
having embarked, will not pursue it, if found to be un- 
profitable. Now, can the introduction of any business 



72 THE CALIFORNIA 

benefit the nation which does not benefit individuals ? 
The great reason why it is thought it cannot be profitably 
produced in this country is the fact that labor is here so 
much higher than in any silk-growing country in the 
world. How can we produce it as cheap as we can buy 
it, when the labor necessary to produce it costs three or 
four times as much as the labor in the silk-growing 
countries ? 

There is much plausibility in these objections, I will 
acknowledge, and there was a time when it perplexed 
me greatly. There are facts, however, on this subject 
which seem to me triumphantly to meet all objec- 
tions to this business drawn from the comparative prices 
of labor ; and I love to deal in facts. 

Is it not a fact that manufactured cotton goods are 
furnished cheaper and better by England than any other 
part of Europe ? • Are not the manufactured silks of 
England furnished as good and as cheap , if not cheaper 
and better, than the silks of other countries where labor 
is much lower ? 

I might instance the production of our finest linens ; 
they are furnished cheaper and better by Holland and 
Belgium than by any other powers where labor is 
cheaper. France can and actually does furnish fine 
woolens cheaper and better than they can be furnished 
by Spain, although the price of labor is much in the 
favor of Spain. 

One great reason why the price of labor is neutralized, 
so to speak, is a fact which the history of the world will 
prove : that a decided superiority and skill is usually 



silk grower's manual. 73 

obtained in the production of a given article by those 
with whom the price of labor is dearer than with their 
rivals. 

We know the price of labor in any country, other 
things being equal, is usually according to the skill and 
industry of those who perform it. 

We do not pay a mechanic or laborer a high price 
for his labor merely because he chooses to ask it, but 
because we know that the product of his labor will fur- 
nish us with that which we know we can sell to a good 
profit after paying him his wages. Suppose that the 
daily wages of the East Indian is but a few cents per 
clay: will this advantage counterbalance his want of 
skill and his destitution of the labor-saving machinery, 
which pervades every branch of business in our own 
free and happy country. 

The inventive genius of Americans is proverbial, and 
who can doubt the application of skill and genius to 
the production of silk? Improvements made here, we 
know will almost simultaneously pervade our whole coun- 
try, and will quickly pass to England ; but to introduce 
them into other silk-growing countries requires years, 
if not generations. France, even polished France, haa 
been talking about internal improvements longer than 
any other nation, and to this hour she has now consid- 
erably little railroad in her whole dominions ; even the 
little kingdom of Belgium far surpasses her in tins 
respect. 

In Italy and India it is almost impossible to introduce 
improvements in any valuable degree ; indeed 1 appre- 



<4 THE CALIFORNIA 

hend that the low price of labor is in no small degree 
accountable for this ; and therefore the fact that the low 
price of labor among those nations who will be our chief 
competitors in the production of silk will make that 
production more profitable to us. 

Is it not a fact that in England .and our own country, 
where labor is high, the capitalist is enabled to live well 
and rapidly increase his means ; while in India, France, 
and Italy, where labor is low, the very reverse of this 
is the fact ; the accumulation of wealth is very slow ? 
What do we care for the competition of India or the 
nations along the Baltic in maritime trade ; while that 
of England, where labor is nearly as high as in our own 
country, we fear. 

The whaling trade furnishes a striking evidence on 
this subject. This trade is open to the whole world ; 
yet with all the low prices of labor, even among power- 
ful and enlightened nations, this trade with us has con- 
stantly increased, and our merchants have grown rich 
on the profits of their ships, while with them it has uni- 
formly declined, and the proprietors of the sluggish 
ships of the North of Europe are scarcely able to live. 

But again. How can the price of labor operate to 
our disadvantage when the silk-growing countries of 
Europe generally, either owing to their negligence or 
their climate, are in all cases obliged to make large de- 
ductions for disease and death among their silkworms ; 
while our attention, and the balmy nature of our climate, 
render it unnecessary for us to make any such deduc- 
tions. Some writers assert that even fifty per cent, is a 



SILK GROWERS MANUAL. Jb 

reasonable allowance for the large percentage which they 
lose. Should it, however, be but one-quarter of this, 
this consideration alone more than balances the differ- 
ence in the price of labor. 

If they can lose such a percentage and still make a 
profit on their low price labor, how much greater profit 
can we make, even if our labor is higher, when no loss 
is sustained. But again, I ask, how can the price of 
labor operate to our disadvantage, when we are entirely 
free from everything like excise duties on trees and silk ; 
a burden which is borne heavily indeed by European 
silk-growing countries ? We have it, on the best au- 
thority, that in the Neapolitan territory every mulberry 
tree pays to the government an annual tax of about 
sixteen cents, and every pound of silk about thirty- 
three cents. Even the refuse and unprofitable part of 
the silk and cocoons pay about one per cent, to the 
government. Surely if labor costs even nothing there, 
and it is still profitable to produce silk, it may be vastly 
more profitable here, with all the high price of our 
labor. 



76 THE CALIFORNIA 

[From the California Farmer, August 23, 1866.] 
SILK CULURE— NEW SERIES. 

LETTER NUMBER THREE — BY L. PREVOST. 

San Jose, August 20, 1866. 
Col. Warren, Editor California Farmer : 

Dear Sir — But if we can, if we actually do, grow 
and manufacture cotton, and sell it in India cheaper 
than they can produce it, and cheaper than they can 
elsewhere grow it, why can we not do the same with silk ? 
We know, with all other disadvantages, other nations 
produce silk to a profit ; and while in other things we 
yield to no nation on earth, why shall we in silk alone ? 

But we are not left to such a course of reasoning. 
Conclusive as it is, to my mind, to prove that silk 
may be profitably produced in our own country, I do 
not believe we are warranted, as yet, from actual re- 
sults, to speak with absolute certainty as to the amount 
of profit, per acre, in the production of silk ; still, suf- 
ficient is known, from actual experiments, to satisfy any 
reasonable mind that it can be produced at a profit. 

Why should the inhabitants among the inhospitable 
rocks and stones in Mansfield, Connecticut, enjoy such 
a measure of prosperity, if the production of silk is not 
profitable ? There more attention has been paid to the 
culture of silk, and for a longer time, than in any other 
part of our country, and from personal observation, few 
portions of our country have received less from nature 
than this town, and few portions, beyond all question, 



silk grower's manual. 77 

have less poverty and want — perhaps, I might say, few 
portions are found where the people enjoy more general 
competence and comfort — and to silk they are confes- 
sedly indebted for much of the competence with which 
they are blessed. 

But experiments have been made in various sections 
of our country during the last few years, expressly 
with a view to test the profits of this business, and 
feeling obliged, as I do, to believe the statements of 
gentlemen who have made such experiments, my only 
surprise has been that the results have shown such large 
profits.- I could name experiments made in Massa- 
chusetts, Connecticut, New York, New T Jersey, Penn- 
sylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and Ohio ; but 
they are familiar to all, and they go to prove that silk 
can be produced so as to yield a very large profit. 

But on this subject I have other evidence still, that 
silk can be produced in our country, notwithstanding 
the high price of labor, to a large profit — evidence 
which, to me, at least, is perfect demonstration — I ac- 
tually produced it myself to a large profit. Last year 
I actually produced silk at the rate of $104 per acre ; 
this year, valuing the raw silk at $4.50 per pound, 
at the rate of $ 108 per acre. The gross product this 
year was five hundred and twenty pounds of cocoons, 
or forty-eight pounds reeled silk, the cost of producing 
which is $2.25 per pound, or the value of one male or 
two female hands, twelve weeks each ; which, valuing 
the silk as above, leaves the minimum profit $108 per 
acre. Now, this I know is no mistake ; the silk before 



78 THE CALIFORNIA 

you will speak for itself. Nor were my knowledge, fa- 
cilities, or advantages greater than those possessed by 
any and every member of the community ; I am 
perfectly persuaded that every prudent man may 
realize the same result. 

Now, in view of the foregoing reasoning and facts, 
can I doubt the practicability of our producing silk at a 
profit, notwithstanding the high price of labor ; and can 
I, as a patriot or philanthropist, refrain from urging my 
fellow citizens to embark in this business ? And can any 
man, who believes these facts and this reasoning, fail to 
urge the snme thing on his fellow citizens, by his exam- 
ple as well as by his precept, that demonstration which re- 
sults from the actual production of the article itself will 
convince. It is not to be supposed but that individual 
cases of failure will occur ; some may undertake more 
than they can accomplish, and fail ; untoward circum- 
stances may prevent success with others. The visionary 
and the grasping, who expect at once to amass a fortune 
in the production of silk, will be disappointed, and will 
doubtless abandon the wdiole thing;. Those who en.q;aai;e 
in the business, however, intelligently, with common 
sense, will, with patience and perseverance, invariably 
reap a rich reward, and, at the same time, assist in 
adding millions to the wealth of their country. What 
more then, I ask, is necessary to induce this whole 
nation to commence the production of silk ? 

PROFITABLE WORK FOR LADIES, CHILDREN, ETC. 

I advert to two or three considerations which, in my 
own view, are of great importance to this subject. 



silk grower's manual. 79 

The first is, the employment which the production of 
silk will furnish to that portion of our community which 
are destitute of profitable employment. All the mean.-; 
of human enjoyment, and all the accumulations of 
wealth, are, in one form or other, the product of human 
labor. The happiness and wealth of nations are, there- 
fore, promoted in exact proportion to the active industry 
of the community. In order that readily extended 
prosperity exist, it is absolutely necessary that industry 
pervade every department of society ; and that industry 
should be directed to objects adapted to those who 
labor, and are capable of producing wealth, then some- 
thing must be produced by all. No community, as a 
mass, can grow rich, no large number of families can 
permanently thrive, when one, two, three, or more 
members in each family . are entirely unproductive. 
Suppose one quarter of the community devote their 
energies to speculation, all they gain is abstracted from 
others in some way ; they produce nothing — their 
country must grow poorer — they must be sustained by 
the labors of the other portion of the community, and 
permanent prosperity cannot exist. As nations and 
large communities are made up of families and individ- 
uals, in order to promote national prosperity, it is abso- 
lutely necessary that industry pervade the domestic 
circle — that all the members of our families should be 
usefully employed. Under the present state of 
society and the existing subjects of industry, however, 
profitable employment cannot be furnished to the whole 



80 THE CALIFORNIA 

of the domestic circle. In the clays of our fathers 
there was, indeed, no want of such employment. The 
music of the spinning wheel and the noise of the shuttle 
and the distaff were heard in all their dwellings. The 
numerous labor-saving machinery, the product of the 
last preceding age, introduced into almost every depart- 
ment of business, has entirely superseded these in domes- 
tie life. The circumstances of a very large portion of our 
farmers are such, and the state of society is such, that 
there is now an absolute want of suitable and profitable 
employment for the female members of their families. 
They cannot, in consistency with their education and 
rank, take hold of the culinary department, and perform 
the drudgery of domestic duties ; if there are many 
such in the family, even this would not furnish them 
employment ; and the actual consequence is, that many 
an affectionate, prudent, and laborious father has actu- 
ally sunk beneath that dearly cherished but unproduc- 
tive part of his charge. Every community, therefore, 
that would secure permanent prosperity, must seek 
employments on which they can profitably bestow do- 
mestic labor; and where, let me ask, is there an- 
employment that promises so much in this respect as the 
production of silk ? 



SILK grower's manual. 81 



[From the California Fanner, August 30, 1866.] 
SILK CULTURE— NEW SERIES. 

LETTER NUMBER FOUR BY L. PREVOST. 

San Jose, August 26, 1866. 
Col. Warren, Editor California Farmer : 

Dear Sir — The production of silk seems designed 
for female hands. It is suited to their ability, and 
promises as large returns for the labor bestowed as any 
other employment. In every period in the history of 
silk it has actually received the fostering encourage- 
ment of female influence. Queens and noble ladies 
have been its patrons, and the noblest daughters of our 
land would be honored by devoting their time to the 
production of silk in some of its stages. May we not 
hope that an article which enters so largely into the 
wardrobe of our wives and our daughters, which more 
than other fabrics adorns their persons, will receive 
their fostering care ? Indeed, vast as may be the im- 
portance of the introduction of silk culture to our coun- 
try, I despair of witnessing its complete success until 
our fair countrywomen actually engage in its produc- 
tion ; and one of the most cheerful signs of the time is. 
that this to some extent, is already the case. When 
your daughters shall walk abroad in silks which their 
own hands have aided to produce, then the culture of 
silk as a source of national wealth will no longer bo 
doubtful. Is it a fact, that grazing and dairy-making 
sections of our country are usually more independent 



82 THE CALIFORNIA 

than even grain-growing regions ; and where will you 
find the reason if not in the fact that in the former case 
there is profitable domestic labor, and in the latter there 
is not ? If the tenants whose abodes are among the 
hills which are covered with bleating flocks and lowing 
herds, are found continually making excursions down 
and buying up the beautiful valleys beneath them, what 
may we not expect to see when portions of these hills 
are covered with mulberry trees, and millions of skilled 
operators working unceasingly by day and by night, 
under the fostering care of female superintendence ? 

But there are also other members of the domestic 
circle, besides those already referred to, whose labor is 
almost utterly unproductive, for want of proper objects 
on which to bestow that labor. In almost every family 
there are children, and aged and infirm individuals, 
whose labor is of little value on the farm, and these are 
the persons who can almost entirely take charge of 
the cocoonery, with a little direction and superintend- 
ence. Even children can do much toward gathering 
the leaves and feeding the worms. Even the aged 
and decrepicl, with the aid of ingenious contrivances 
for moving along by the shelves, can perform the work 
of the most athletic laborer. Surely that community 
cannot but grow rich when the labors of all are made 
productive. Other communities may be convulsed with 
every fluctuation in trade ; this can smile with compla- 
cency in the midst of plenty ; while all are debtors to 
them, they to none. 

On all plantations of the South, too, there are un- 



SILK grower's manual. 83 

doubtedly many children, aged and infirm slaves, and 
mothers, who are of little or no value to their own- 
ers in the production of sugar and cotton, perhaps it 
would be safe to say, on almost every estate, the labors 
of one or several able-bodied field hands are consumed 
in supporting those whose labor is of no considerable 
value on the plantations, who cannot because they are 
physically unable, perform the labor which alone is 
required. Now if these could be furnished with an 
employment by which they could simply support them- 
selves, what a vast saving it would be to the planter. 
But how much more would his interest be promoted if 
it is demonstrated that the labor of such a class, when 
applied to silk, is even more profitable than the labor of 
the most athletic field hands ; and that this will be the 
case every enterprising planter who will make the ex- 
periment will unquestionably find. In the present state 
of the cotton trade, this is an aspect of the subject of 
the deepest importance to every cotton grower. 

I know much mystery hangs around the whole sub- 
ject of producing silk, in the minds of most of our farm- 
ers ; accustomed to deal in the heavier products of 
the soil, the delicacy of the article causes them to dis- 
trust their ability and skill in its production; they 
read or have heard of large and expensive cocooneries 
with nicely adjusted shelves, and spinning frames, with 
furnaces and flues, with hygrometers and thermome- 
ters, and verometcrs, and hourly feeding by day and 
night, and they are actually frightened from the under- 
taking, or even from an honest and serious examination 



84 THE CALIFORNIA 

of its practicability; but these appendages do not belong 
to the subject. I can speak at least from some little 
practical experience. The production of silk in the 
form of the cocoon, is an exceedingly simple thing. 
There is not a farmer in our land, who has not sufficient 
accommodations either in his house or outbuildings, to 
produce from one hundred to thousands of dollars 
worth of silk; and no fixtures in most cases will be 
needed but such as he himself, with his hammer and 
saw, can furnish. Care and attention are indeed nec- 
essary, but these are equally necessary in order to 
secure the most successful results in any business. 
This is a business concerning which experience alone 
can give us our best and most valuable information ; 
much undoubtedly may be learned from books and the 
experience of others, but we cannot hope for the most 
successful results until we have had some little experi- 
ence. Some who are engaged in no other employment, 
may at once commence large establishments ; may ex- 
pend freely in fitting up in the most perfect and con- 
venient manner for the accommodation of the worms, 
and with care and prudence may entirely succeed even 
on a large scale, the very first year, without any pre- 
vious practical knowledge. Still, in the general intro- 
duction of the business among our farmers, prudence 
requires that they should commence cautiously and on 
a small scale. A single ounce of eggs will produce a 
crop sufficiently large for most persons the first season ; 
attention to these will teach much respecting the habits 
and peculiarities of the silkworm ; and will enable 



85 

the culturist to make intelligent provision for the wants 
and necessities of a large crop the subsequent season. 

But is it not a fact, that some portions of oui- older 
States are almost depopulated ? Not only do our youth, 
but many of our very best citizens, with heavy hearts, 
desert their homes, their comforts, and their friends, to 
seek, in new and distant States, the means of subsistence 
and support for growing families, which the cultivation 
of silk alone might have supplied in abundance at home. 

The advocates of silk are far from wishing to see other 
products of our soil diminished ; but they do wish, by 
their example and their precept, to add another to the 
existing list of our productions ; they do wish to develop 
our resources, and add to our population an hundred 
fold ; they do wish to retain in the possession of our cit- 
izens all the millions which are annually paid for foreign 
silk ; they do wish to see productive industry pervade 
every department of life, and the condition and comforts 
of all our citizens improved ; and if ever an enterprise 
promised joy and prosperity to the whole community, es- 
pecially to the poor, this is that enterprise. How can 
the production of a rich and valuable article, the use of 
which pervades every class of society, which will give 
employment to thousands and tens of thousands of in- 
dustrious people, which will pour millions into our treas- 
ury, how can this fail to better the condition of the poor 
as well as of the rich ? 

I know that it is difficult to introduce to the extent of 
millions, any new branch of industry among any class 
of men — it is not the work of a day ; patience and per- 



86 THE CALIFORNIA 

severence will alone accomplish it. Do I mistake the 
signs of the times, when I predict, as I here publicly do, 
the speedy and triumphant success of the silk culture 
in our beloved country. To my own mind, the prospect 
before us is bright with promise ; I look forward but a 
little, and my fondest anticipations are more than real- 
ized ; I behold this single product flowing to all our 
ports through a thousand channels, and peace and plenty 
pervading all our borders, with no second in the mag- 
nitude of its results. 

An eminent senator, on a memorable occasion, prom- 
ised all our farmers silken purses filled with gold shining 
through their meshes ; but, alas ! the worthy senator 
gave us nothing with which to procure either the purses 
or the gold ;- but here is the silk to make the purses, 
and here is the gold — the returns of silk — to fill them. 

[The foregoing discussion shows the importance of 
silk culture, and its benefit to our nation ; and I hope 
it will serve to convince as well as please the greater 
portion of your readers.] 

Respectfully yours, 

L. Prevost. 



silk grower's manual. 87 

[Farmer, September 6, 1866.] 
MANUFACTURE AND CULTURE OF SILK— NEW SERIES. 

LETTER NUMBER ONE. BY L. PREYOST. 

San Jose, Sept. 3, 1866. 
Col. Warren, Editor California Farmer : 
Dear Sir : 

PIONEER SILK MANUFACTORY. 

It pleased me very much to see in your last number 
an article on our " Pioneer Silk Manufactory." I will 
avail myself of the opportunity to write to-clay on that 
important subject, which I consider as a great event for 
the silk cause in California, and consequently will ad- 
vance greatly the interests of the State. It furnishes us 
the means of beginning that great work of retaining 
among us these seven millions of dollars sent out annu- 
ally for importing silk for our ladies. It settles the ques- 
tion, as everybody can see, that we have now at home 
a market for all the cocoons we can produce. Our 
friends, Meyer & Newman, in offering to manufacture 
our silk, will induce a great many to go into its culture. 

SELECTION OF SOIL FOR THE MULBERRY. 

To all those who are about to start in that rich in- 
dustry, I desire to tell them for their benefit that the 
most important point to begin with is the selection of 
the soil for the mulberry. It is a fact that it grows 
most any where in California, but more or less, a deep 
rich, light, loamy soil is needed : in such a case wei can 



88 THE CALIFORNIA 

obtain as much food from one acre as from two or three 
acres of other soils ; in that mulberry soil, trees seven 
years old measure from two to three feet in circumfer- 
ence, and shoots one year old, from ten to twelve feet 
long ; and we have any amount of such soil in all the 
valleys of California. I have remarked a great quan- 
tity of it in our beautiful and healthy valley of San 
Jose', but have observed it more generally in the Sacra- 
mento valley. We can say that we have hundreds of 
thousands of acres of such soil in California, and it is 
incalculable the quantity of silk we can produce — we 
could supply the whole world with this article. But I 
must return to the main subject of this letter. 

SILK MANUFACTURE. 

The silk manufacture may be divided into two branch- 
es : first, the production of the raw silk ; second, its 
filature and preparation in the mill for the purposes of 
the weaver and other textile artizans. The threads, as 
spun by the silk worm and wound up in the cocoon, are 
all twins, in consequence of the twin orifice of the nose 
of the insect, through which they are projected ; these 
two threads are laid parallel to each other, and are 
glued more or less evenly together by a kind of glossy 
varnish, which also envelops them, constituting nearly 
twenty-five per cent, of their weight. Each ultimate 
filament measures about one-twothousanclth of an inch 
in average, fine silk, and the pair measure fully one- 
onethousandth of an inch in the raw silk, as imported 
from Italy, France, China, etc. ; several of these twin 



silk grower's manual. 89 

filaments are slightly twisted and aglutinated to form 
one thread called a " single." 

The specific gravity of silk is 1,300, water heing 
1000. It is by far the most tenacious or the strongest 
of all textile fibres, a thread of it of a certain diameter 
being nearly three times stronger than a thread of flax, 
and twice stronger than hemp. 

SILK MANUFACTURE IN ENGLAND. 

Until the year 1826, the English silk manufacturers 
in general labored under very grievous fiscal burdens. 
Foreign " organzine," or twisted raw silk, paid an import 
duty of 14s 7d per pound ; raw Bengal silk, 4s, and 
that from other places, 5s 7cl ; Mr. Huskinson intro- 
duced a bill at that time, reducing the duty on organ- 
zine to 5s, and the duty on other raw silk to 3d per 
pound ; the total prohibition of the importing of French 
manufactured silks, which gave rise to so much contra- 
band trade, was also converted into a duty of thirty- 
three per cent, ad valorem. During the reign of the 
prohibitory system, English silk weavers had no variety 
of pattern to imitate and no adequate stimulus to excel, 
on account of the monopoly which they possessed in the 
home market. Also, the inferiority of their production 
was a subject of constant pride and congratulation among 
the Lyonnais ; and, accordingly, the English could not 
stand their competition anywhere. At that time, the 
disadvantage on English silk goods, compared to French, 
was estimated in foreign markets at forty per cent. ; of 
late years, it certainly does not exceed twenty, notwitli- 



90 THE CALIFORNIA 

standing the many peculiar facilities which France en- 
joys for this her favorite staple. 

THE SILK WORM — HOW IT LIVES, SPINS, DIES, AND ITS 
RESURRECTION AND PROPAGATION. 

The silk worm is, like its kindred species, subject to 
four metamorphoses : the egg, fostered by the genial 
warmth of spring, sends forth a caterpillar, which, in 
its progressive enlargement, casts its skin either three 
or four times, according to the variety of the insect. 
Having acquired its full size in the course of thirty or 
thirty-four days, and ceasing to eat during the remainder 
of its life, it begins to discharge a viscid secretion in 
the form of pulpy, twin filaments from its nose, which 
harden in the air ; these threads are instinctively coiled 
into an oval nest round itself, called a cocoon, which 
serves as a defense against living enemies, and the 
changes of the temperature. Here it soon changes into 
a chrysalis or nymph state, in which it lies swaddled, as 
it were, for about fifteen or twenty days ; then it bursts 
its cerements and comes forth, furnished with appro- 
priate wings, antennae, and feet, for living in its new 
element — the atmosphere. The male and female moths 
couple together at this time, and after separating, the 
female lays the eggs and soon dies, their whole existence 
being limited to two months. The cocoons are com- 
pletely formed in the course of four days, the finest 
being reserved as seed worms. From these cocoons, 
after an interval of fifteen or twenty days, the moth 
makes its appearance, perforating its tomb by knocking 



silk grower's manual. 91 

with its head against the end of the cocoon, after sof- 
tening it with saliva, and thus rendering the filaments 
more easily torn asunder by its claws ; such moths, or 
orilias, are collected and placed upon a piece of soft 
cloth or paper, where they couple and lay their eggs. 



The eggs, or grains as they are usually termed, are 
enveloped in a liquid which causes them to adhere to the 
piece of cloth or paper on which the female lays them ; 
from this glue they are readily freed by dipping them 
in cold water and wiping them dry. They are best 
preserved in the egg state at a temperature of about 
40° Fahrenheit. If the heat of Spring advances 
rapidly in April, it must not be suffered to act on the 
eggs, otherwise it might hatch the caterpillars long be- 
fore the mulberry has sent forth its leaves to nourish 
them. Another reason for keeping back their incuba- 
tion is, that they may be hatched together in large 
broods and not by numbers in succession. The eggs 
are made up into packets of an ounce or somewhat 
more, which in the south of France are generally at- 
tached to the girdle of the women during the day and 
placed under their pillows at night ; they are, of course, 
carefully examined from time to time. In large estab- 
lishments they are placed in appropriate store-rooms, 
where they are exposed to a temperature gradually in- 
creased till it reaches the eighty-sixth degree of Fah- 
renheit's scale, which term it must not exceed (but in 
California w T e do not need artificial heat). Aided by 
the heat, nature completes her mysterious work of 



92 THE CALIFORNIA 

incubation in three or four clays ; the teeming eggs are 
then covered with tender mulberry leaves on which the 
newly hatched worms creep up instinctively. 

TREATMENT OF COCOONS. 

The cocoons destined for filature must not be allowed 
to remain for many days with the worms alive within 
them, for should the chrysalis have leisure to grow, ma- 
ture, and come out, the filaments at one end would be 
cut through and thus lose half of their value ; it is 
therefore necessary to extinguish the life of the animal 
by heat, which is done either by exposing the cocoons 
for a few days to sunshine, or by placing them in a hot 
oven ; a heat of 170° Fahrenheit is sufficient for effect- 
ing this purpose. 

Eighty pounds French, or eighty-eight English, of 
cocoons are the average produce from one ounce of 
eggs, or one hundred pounds from an ounce and a 
quarter ; but Mr. Cobzer, of Alsace, obtained no less 
than one hundred and sixty-five pounds. The silk ob- 
tained from a cocoon is from 750 to 1,150 feet long ; 
the varnish by which the coils are glued slightly to- 
gether is soluble in warm water. 

OF SILK HUSBANDRY IN GENERAL. 

The silk husbandry, as it may be called, is completed 
in France within six weeks from the end of April, and 
thus affords the most rapid of agricultural returns, re- 
quiring merely a little capital for the purchase of the 
leaf. In buying up cocoons and in filature, capital may 
be laid out to great advantage. 



93 

The most hazardous period in the process of breeding 
the worms is at the third and fourth moultings ; for upon 
the sixth day of the third age and the seventh day of 
the fourth, they in general eat nothing at all ; on the 
first day of the fourth age the worms proceeding from 
one ounce of eggs will, according to Bonafous, consume 
upon an average, twenty-three pounds and a quarter of 
mulberry leaves ; on the first day of the fifth age, they 
will consume forty-two pounds, and on the sixth day of 
the same age, they acquire their maximum voracity, 
devouring no less than two hundred and twenty-three 
pounds ; from this date their appetite continually de- 
creases, till on the tenth of this age they consume only 
fifty-six pounds. In general, the more food they con- 
sume, the more silk will they produce. 

There are three denominations of raw silk, viz : or- 
ganzine, tram, and floss. Organzine serves for the 
warp of the best silk stuffs, and is considerably twisted. 
Tram is made usually from inferior silk, and is very 
slightly twisted in order that it may spread more and 
cover better in the weft. Floss, or bourre, consists of 
the shorter, broken silk, which is carded and spun like 
cotton. Organzine and tram may contain from three 
to thirty twin filaments of the worm ; the former pos- 
sesses a double twist, the component filaments being 
first twisted in one direction and the compound thread 
in the opposite; the latter receives merely a single 
slender twist. 

Each twin filament gradually diminishes in thick 
and strength from the surface of the cocoon where the 



94 THE CALIFORNIA 

animal begins its work in a state of vigor, to the center, 
where it finishes it in a state of debility and exhaustion, 
because it can receive no food from the moment of its 
beginning to spin by spouting forth its silky substance. 
The winder is attentive to this progressive attenuation, 
and introduces the commencement of some cocoons to 
compensate for the termination of others. The quality 
of raw silk depends therefore very much upon the skill 
and care bestowed upon the filature. The softest and 
purest water should be used in the cocoon kettle. 

The quantity of the raw silk is determined by first 
winding off 400 ells of it, equal to 47 metres, round a 
drum one ell in circumference, and then weighing that 
length ; the weight is expressed in grains, 24 of which 
constitute one denier ; 24 deniers constitute one ounce, 
and 16 ounces, one pound, paid de marc. This is the 
Lyons' rule for valuing silk. The weight of a thread 
of silk four hundred ells long is two grains and a half. 
When five twin filaments have been reeled and associ- 
ated together, raw silk is so absorbent of moisture that 
it may be increased ten per cent, in weight by this 
means; this property has led to falsifications, which 
are detected by including weighed portions of the sus- 
pected silk in a wire cloth cage, and exposing it to a 
stove heat of about 78° Fahrenheit for twenty-four 
hours, with a current of air ; the loss of weight it 
thereby undergoes demonstrates the amount of the 
fraud. There is an office in Lyons called the " Con- 
dition," where this assay is made, and by the report 
of which the silk is bought and sold. The laws in 



95 

France require that all the silk tried by the " condi- 
tions " must be worked up into fabrics in that country. 

The raw silk as imported into England in hanks from 
the 'filature, requires to be regularly wound upon bob- 
bins, twisted, and reeled in their silk mill; these pro- 
cesses are called " throwing " silk, and their proprietors 
are called " silk throwsters" — terms probably derived 
from the appearance of swinging or tossing which the 
silk threads exhibit during their rapid movements among 
the machinery of the mills. 

As I will have to attend the Fairs, I will have to stop 
for a while. I will resume in a few weeks with letters 
on silk and its reeling, and other points pertaining to 
that important industry. 



[Stockton Independent, Nov. 18, J865.] 
SILK CULTURE. 

San Jose, November 14, 186;"). 
Editors Independent : — In fulfillment of my prom- 
ise, I write you a letter on the very important silk ques- 
tion. It is not necessary to go back to the important 
points in favor of silk culture in California, which I 
have already published. I will confine myself to the 
present. It is very gratifying to me to see that silk 
culture is duly appreciated, and that the public begins 
to understand and look to its true interests. The soci- 



. 



96 THE CALIFORNIA 

eties this year have shown their appreciation of the im- 
portance of that culture for California, by giving me 
the highest prizes, gold medals, etc., and I feel very 
grateful to them for having so well appreciated and re- 
warded my efforts. In 1860, when I raised silk for the 
first time, I sent silk and silk cocoons to every Fair all 
over the State, and though they gave premiums and 
diplomas for things of no importance, they did not award 
any premium to the first California-raised silk. So, you 
see, I was not encouraged at the first start. I say that I 
was not encouraged by the societies generally ; but there 
was one that did encourage me — the San Joaquin Valley 
Agricultural Society, whose name will be recorded in 
big letters in the history of silk in California. That 
Society gave me a diploma for the first silk produced 
in this State. The officers and members of that Society 
understood their mission, and I remember it. 

We cannot too much encourage our friends to go into 
this branch of industry, which is bound to surpass in 
value, for exportation, all other California products 
taken together. They can enter into it with more cer- 
tainty of success than in mining operations, because 
they have no opposition or failure to fear. The regu- 
larity of our fine, dry summers, without rain, storms, or 
electricity, which are the enemies of silk culture, insures 
regular, good crops every year. The beauty of this 
new industry for California is, that it cannot be over- 
done. I say it is the only business in which we need 
not fear opposition or failure, because if it were possible 
to plant the whole State next year with full grown mul 



97 

berry trees, and everybody engaged in raising silk, it 
would not lower the price of silk two cents per pound, 
as we have not only California but the whole world for 
a market. Therefore it is our duty to encourage and 
help all who wish to engage in this business. For my 
part, I intend doing this : I will furnish persons desiring 
to start silk culture in their locality, with their first silk- 
worm eggs gratis. They will only have to write me 
their address and the amount of food they have, so as 
to guide me what number of eggs to send. 

The work necessary to raise silkworms in California 
is very little, as our climate is so favorable to that cul- 
ture that it enabled me to simplify it considerably. In 
proof of this I need only state that I have this last 
season raised over one hundred thousand silkworms, 
every worm making a cocoon ; and all this with my own 
work alone. This is the work of eight persons in France 
or Italy. Our California silk culture is so simple, that 
as soon as it is published extensively, everybody in the 
State will engage in raising silk as well as any other 
production. If we consider it a moment, the quantity 
of silk that could be raised in California is immense ; 
and it would afford employment to thousands of families, 
in raising as well as in manufacturing it. It is an easy 
work that can be done by aged persons, as well as by 
the young of both sexes. Then our ladies would have 
a right to feel proud in wearing dresses made of silk 
raised by their own hands. In France and in Italy 
silk is raised very extensively, and millions of families 
are living by this work. The silk exported from Italy 



98 THE CALIFORNIA 

surpasses in value by two-thirds, all other exportations 
together. 

A remarkable fact is, that with our climate so very 
favorable to silkworms, we also have a soil well adapted 
to the growth of mulberry trees. They thrive almost 
everywhere in this State ; but the best soil for them 
that I have yet seen is in the bottom lands of the Sac- 
ramento valley. A large quantity of those trees will be 
planted there the coming season. I suppose that some 
will also be planted in the San Joaquin valley, where 
there is already quite a large plantation — that of Mr. 
Glessing, commenced last year. But the largest planta- 
tions in California are those of A. Packard and E. 
Goux of Santa Barbara. Those plantations were made 
three years ago, and are now in fine condition. - These 
gentlemen will raise, the coming season, a large quan- 
tity of silkworms, and will probably turn them to eggs. 
My own exhibit of silk, from five years raising, proves 
beyond a doubt that California is the very best spot for 
that culture. This, and the testimony which I receive 
from others, shows that this new industry for California 
is now fairly started. 

Two gentlemen, experienced, scientific, and practical 
silk growers, on their way back from China, where they 
had been to buy a large quantity of silkworms' eggs, 
recently came to see me to get information about silk 
in California. I told them all the facts, showed them the 
cocoons and where I raised them, and also the mulberry 
trees. Being gentlemen who understood the silk busi- 
ness perfectly, they agreed with me that we have the 



silk grower's manual. 99 

best silk country in the world, and were so pleased at 
learning this fact that they are going to return here next 
summer with the necessary capital to buy one hundred 
acres of land each, to raise silkworms' eggs and silk 
on a large scale. These gentlemen are the representa- 
tives of the two largest silk houses in Europe, and are 
now on their way back to France. From them I learned 
a very important fact, namely r that our climate is so 
superior for silk culture, that by selecting our very best 
cocoons for eggs, year after year — for our own use 
— we could, after a few years, obtain cocoons that would 
beat everything known, for size and quality, that is to 
say, a superior article. In this opinion I fully concur. 
The coming of these gentlemen from France will prob- 
ably induce other silk growers to come also, which would 
be a great benefit to the State. L. Prevost. 



[Stockton Independent, April 23, 1866.] 
RILK CULTURE— LETTER FROM MR. PREV< 

San Jose, April 19, 1866. 
Editors Independent: — I wish to inform you and 
your numerous readers of the progress of silk culture 
since my last, so that all who wish to take an in 
in that branch of industry may be guided and benefited 
thereby. Having been absent from home some 
weeks, I found, on my return, a great many letters from 



100 THE CALIFORNIA 

different parts of the State, making inquiries in regard 
to silk culture. By these letters I am satisfied that we 
have in California all the men necessary to carry on 
successfully this new branch of industry, in all its de- 
partments, from the planting of the mulberry to the 
manufactured silk. In addition to this, in my letters 
from Europe, I find that silk growers, silk spinners, and 
silk manufacturers are preparing to come to this coun- 
try, and I am advising them to bring with them all the 
necessary machinery of their trade. I am about to write 
all the facts about silk in California to go through the 
press in Europe, with the expectation that it will incite 
immigration. We have room for millions, and their 
presence would be of vast benefit to the State, as in the 
pursuit of which I speak, having the whole world for a 
market, we have nothing to fear from competition. 

A very important matter bearing on this subject, is 
the fact that an act has been passed "by the last Legis- 
lature in such a shape as to give great encouragement 
to all who engage in the business, for a term of four 
years. At the expiration of that time, the culture of 
silk will have been well started, and, resting on a self- 
sustaining basis, will need no further outside aid and 
encouragement. 

Now that the State has given encouragement, I will 
clo all in my power likewise to foster the business. It 
is a well known and admitted fact that what our people 
need is information upon this subject. This, while in 
Sacramento, I promised to give, and towards that point, 
I will, in a few weeks, write a " California Silk Man- 



101 

pal," in which I propose to give the most approved 
and simplified modus operandi of the culture, manage- 
ment and propagation, by seed and cuttings, of the 
mulberry tree, and afterwards, the culture of silk, and 
management of the worms according to the best rules 
of experience, in our fine, suitable climate. Besides 
the Manual, I will, this coming season, do two public 
feedings of the worms, going through the whole process, 
and giving the public all the information I can, thereby 
enabling those who desire so to do, to go into the busi- 
ness with safety. The first feeding will be given in 
one of our halls at San Jose, and will begin the 15th 
of May next. It will take six weeks to go through 
the whole process. The second feeding will be done 
at Sacramento on a larger scale, and will be com- 
menced in Agricultural Hall on the 10th of July next. 
So you will perceive that, in this way, all those who 
wish to study and learn the subject, will have opportu- 
nities of so doing. 

Another important point which your readers will un- 
doubtedly be pleased to learn is, that in a few months 
we will have, at San 'Francisco, a "Pioneer Silk Man- 
ufactory." A gentleman sailed by the steamer of the 
10th instant for New York, to buy there all the neces- 
sary machinery, looms, etc.; and it is anticipated that 
at our next Fair, we will exhibit our first California 
manufactured silk. They will have several hundred 
thousand silk cocoons to begin with, and by another 
year we will be able to give them more work to do. 
Until the present time the objection has been that, in 



102 • THE CALIFORNIA 

raising silk cocoons, we would have no market for them ; 
but that objection does not exist any more, as every per- 
son can now see that we have a market at home. Tak- 
ing all these things combined, we may consider the 
culture of silk established all over the State, because 
it requires but a comparatively small capital to go into 
the business. It is a business that can be undertaken 
by any one. No farm ought to have less than five, 
ten, or more acres planted to mulberry trees. The 
building needed to raise the worms will be an excellent 
farm building, to be used for storing anything during 
the fall, winter and spring, as the worms need it only 
in June. 

As I have already stated, the culture of silk is 
the only business in which we do not fear competition, 
and the more we can engage in it the better, as our 
market for the article is the whole wide world. As 
the business is so well adapted to our State, it cannot 
remain any longer a secret. Every one must become 
acquainted with it, and I consider it a duty to tell and 
show all we know about it. I think it is the duty of all 
who become acquainted with it to teach it to their 
neighbors, as, in doing so, everybody, in a few years, 
will become familiar with a pleasant and enriching pur- 
suit. One merit of it is, that it can be done by ladies, 
and young and aged persons. In France it is a part 
of the education of young ladies. They each receive 
a small lot of silkworms and are required to tend and 
feed them, thus learning what may become very use- 
ful to them in after life. I hope that we will soon be 



SILK grower's manual. 103 

able to return the seven million dollars sent out for the 
purpose of importing silk. L. Prevost. 



[Stockton Independent, August 31, 1866.] 

SILKWORMS, COCOONS AND SILK. 

Mr. Prevost, of San Jose, the pioneer introducer of 
silkworms into California, expects to attend our District 
Fair, as the following letter received by Dr. Holden, 
President of the San Joaquin Valley District Agricul- 
tural Society, from that gentleman, shows. 

" San Jose, August 29, 1866. 
Dr. E. S. Holden , Stockton. 

Dear Sir : I was just about to write to you when 
yours of the 21st instant was handed to me, with a 
complimentary ticket, for which I thank you. It was, 
and is my positive intention to attend your Fair ; and 
I hope to have a good place selected for me — one that 
will correspond with the importance of what I propose 
to exhibit. I will have a good lot of my silk cocoons ; 
also some from other persons, raised in different por- 
tions of our silk State. I will likewise have reeled 
silk, silkworms, and probably bring the first piece oi 
cloth made in California. I will, at the Fair, give all 
the information that may be needed about mulberry 



104 THE CALIFORNIA 

trees, silk, etc. I will be at Sacramento, and perhaps 
will have the pleasure of meeting you there. 
Yours truly, 

L. Pre yost." 



[From the Stockton Independent, November 6, 1866.] 

SILK CULTURE. 

Those who contemplate planting mulberry trees and 
the propagation of silkworms, in San Joaquin county, 
will find the following letter, written at San Jose, on 
the 3d instant, by L. Prevost, interesting. 

Editors Independent : — Since I returned from the 
Fair in Stockton, I have been confined to bed quite 
sick ; but I am getting better every day, although I 
am still very weak. After some work on the part of 
the citizens here, and of General Naglee particularly, 
we have succeeded in getting the pioneer silk factory lo- 
cated here. We have given those engaged in the 
enterprise, twenty-five acres of land close to the city, 
and in a fine healthy location. I have discovered that 
a great number of persons from San Francisco have 
been visiting the parties preparing to manufacture silk, 
and asking them what price they will pay for cocoons ; 
and not having consulted the present prices, they have 
put the price too low. I think I can be of some service 
to all those who intend to go into the culture of silk, 



SILK grower's manual. 105 

in giving them the regular prices, which I translate 
from Le Moniteur, (silk monitor) published in Lyons, 
France. That paper is considered the standard among 
silk raisers. It contains correspondence and transla- 
tions, regarding silk, from all parts of the globe. 
From its columns I translate the price of cocoons, as 
follows : 

POUNDS. PER POUND. 

From Syria 3,000 $2 40 

" Nonka 2,000 1 30 

" " 2,000 t 40 

" " 42,000 150 

" Acoulis 2,000 1 50 

" Caucassus 4,000 1 30 

" Andrianople 2,000 2 50 

" Demirdech 2,000 , 2 40 

" " 1,000 2 60 

" Greece (yellow) 1,800 2 40 



3,000 2 30 



Receiving two of the best papers printed on silk 
culture, I consider it is my duty just now to translate, 
from time to time, all the principal articles for the ben- 
efit of those engaged in the silk business, and to keep 
them posted about anything of interest, and particu- 
larly about the prices. Silk is different from many 
other articles. The market for silk is the whole world, 
and varies but very little in one country from another. It 
sells always according to quality. Our climate is so 
very favorable to its culture, that I have no doubt but 
in time, we will all be so well acquainted with it that 
we will raise a quality for which we will obtain the 
highest prices. As soon as it is known abroad that 



106 THE CALIFORNIA 

California produces cocoons in quantity, silk agents will 
visit our State, as they do every other silk-producing 
part of the world, and buy them up. In the Califor- 
nia Silk Manual, that I am preparing, I will put all 
my experience, of six years raising in this county, in 
its columns, and do my best to assist every one in raising 
silk of the best quality. 



[From the Contra Costa Times of November 18, 1865.] 
THE SILK CULTURE OF CALIFORXIA. 

When our State is prepared to fully honor her great- 
est benefactors in accordance with their deserts, and 
the value of the benefits they have conferred can be 
fairly estimated, none, we think, will have precedence of 
Prevost, the pioneer silk culturist. We have before re- 
ferred to his labors, which have so indisputably demon- 
strated the superior advantages which our climate offers 
for the prosecution of this branch of industry, but need 
not apologize for again urging the matter upon the atten- 
tion of our readers, many of whom are favorably situated 
to profit by the experience which Mr. Prevost has 
gained, and which he is anxious to impart to all who 
will aid in extending this culture, which those most 
familiar with the subject are confident will be developed 
to rank with the greatest industrial interests of the 
State, and eventually place California first among the 



' silk grower's manual. 107 

silk-producing countries, as she now is among the gold- 
producing. 

Familiar with the silk culture in Europe, and a prac- 
tical horticulturist, Mr. Prevost was early satisfied that 
the climate of this, his adopted State and home, was 
favorable to silk growing, and having tested the problem 
of its capacity to furnish food for the worms in the 
thrifty growth of the mulberry, he started his plantations 
and sent abroad for silkworm eggs, none of which, for 
several years, though obtained from various quarters of 
the globe, produced any worms. From a lot received 
in 1860, however, he succeeded in hatching and raising 
a small number, by which' he obtained his first cocoons, 
samples of which, sent to Europe, attracted attention on 
account of their superior quality, due to the peculiarity 
of our climate, the advantages of which, so far as the 
health of the worms and certainty of crop, and quality 
of silk would be concerned, did not fail of appreciation 
by those largely interested in the silk business there, 
where it was seriously threatened by disease in the 
family of silkworms, inevitably incident to all climates 
subject to rains during what is termed the " feeding 
season." But the economy of labor, which the absence 
of rains during this season enables the culturist to effect 
here, was not realized by them, and has only been fully 
demonstrated by the experience of Mr. Prevost, which 
may be thus summed up. The conditions of our climate 
are favorable to the growth of the white mulberry (the 
best silk food). It insures healthy worms ; certainty of 
crop, both of silk and worms ; silk of superior and even 



108 THE CALIFORNIA 

quality, and a saving of three fourths of the labor 
required in other countries ; and when these advantages 
are considered, in connection with the fact of the unlim- 
ited market for the product and the trifling cost of ship- 
ment, in comparison with its value, to any part of 
the globe, it is hardly possible to overestimate the 
benefit which the State is destined to realize from the 
extension of the culture which Mr. Prevost has so per- 
severingly labored to introduce and perfect. 

Mr. Prevost might rest easy with the " good thing " 
he has secured in European orders for silk eggs, the 
monopoly of which he might enjoy for years, at prices 
almost equal to their weight in gold ; but, with the spirit 
of a real benefactor, he desires that his fellow-citizens 
shall know and share the advantages which their climate 
offers for the prosecution of this interesting and profitable 
branch of industry, and he is ever ready to impart infor- 
mation of value to those who may desire it ; and, as will be 
seen by the letter quoted below, he will also furnish gra- 
tuitously the eggs required to start with to all who will, 
for a number of years to come, engage in the business, 
and provide trees for feeding the worms. And this 
offer, if reckoned only at the money value of the eggs, 
is larger than any of the liberal premiums which the 
State has provided for the encouragement of new 
branches of industry. 

The following is the letter referred to, written in re- 
sponse to inquiries relating to the mode of propagating 
the mulberry, with a view to preparing a plantation, or 
orchard; but as we presume the readers of the " Ga- 



SILK grower's manual. 109 

zette" are, many of them, equally interested -with our- 
selves in whatever relates to this matter, we quote it for 
their benefit. 

Chas. B. Porter, Esq., 

Dear Sir : On the 19th of October I wrote you a 
few lines in great haste, stating that I had not time then 
to answer your letter ; but I will try to do it now, and 
be as brief as possible. 

In regard to mulberry trees, they have to be trans- 
planted the same way and at the same season as fruit 
trees, that is to say, as early as possible after the first 
good rain. They grow almost anywhere, but prefer a 
light, deep, and rich soil. The seed can be sown during 
the winter in localities where there is no frost ; otherwise 
sow it early in the spring. I wo aid give the preference 
to cuttings, as they grow faster than from seed ; they 
are as easy of propagation as any other tree cuttings ; 
they also need to have sufficient moisture to make them 
grow well, and be protected, if possible, against the very 
hot sun, till they have good roots. If any of your 
friends wish some good fresh seeds, they will find them 
with Messrs. Francois & Co., seed store, 605 Sansome 
street, San Francisco, who are importing them. I have 
trees, but not many, most of them being engaged. As 
soon as the plants have good roots, either from seed or 
cuttings, they can be transplanted during the winter. 
The morus alba is the very best for silk worms, but it is 
good to have some multicaulis, to feed the worms when 
young, as it is tender ; and if the trees arc in a good 



110 THE CALIFORNIA 

soil and well cared for, you can begin to feed from them 
the third year ; after which you will have more food 
every year, and consequently more silk worms. The 
reason that the preference is given to the morus alba 
everywhere, where silk is cultivated largely, is because 
it contains more substantial food and produces a silk of 
better quality. So to give you an idea of it, I enclose 
you a small sample of what is obtained from its bark ; it 
is almost equal to floss silk, and can be spun the same 
way. I believe this answers the questions in your let- 
ter, but for the benefit of your readers allow me to add 
a few lines. 

The fact that California is the best spot on the globe 
to raise silk profitably, I have fully demonstrated by my 
five years' experience ; and also the fact that the supe- 
riority of our climate for the silk culture enabled me so 
to arrange the work that one man can do as much 
as eight formerly did, cannot be doubted, as I have my- 
self, without help, raised over one hundred thousand 
silk cocoons. This is the work of eight persons in 
France or Italy. I am now very glad to see that the 
importance of this branch of industry begins to be un- 
derstood, as the highest prizes have been awarded to me, 
in the shape of gold medals, etc. The culture of the silk- 
Avorm is bound to be more beneficial and more important 
to California than all the others together, taking the 
mines in, because those engaging in it will not be exposed 
to deception ; and the regularity of our fine, dry sum- 
mers, without rain, storm, or electricity, insures regular 
good crops. I have a thousand things to tell about the 



silk grower's manual. Ill 

advantages of silk culture in California, if I had time to 
write, but the impulse is given, and as I am posted in 
the progress and what is going on about silk culture in 
California, I am able to say with assurance that expe- 
rienced silk cultivators will come next season from 
France, to raise it here on a very large scale. I was 
visited by the representatives of two of the largest silk 
houses in Europe on their returning from China, where 
they purchased hundreds of millions of silkworms' eggs. 
Being practical silk growers and manufacturers, they 
understood very well the superiority of our climate, and 
were extremely pleased with what I have been able 
to show and tell them, as they can appreciate the truth 
of it. We must do all we can to encourage everybody 
to raise silk, because this article is different from many 
other products ; it cannot be overdone. We do not fear 
any opposition, for if it were possible that by some 
miracle the whole State should be covered next year 
with full grown mulberry trees, and most of her inhabit- 
ants engaged in raising silk, you can not prove to me 
that it would lower the price on silk of two cents per 
pound, as we have the whole world for a market. This 
article, on the contrary, is bound to rise; it advanced 
last season twenty-five per cent., on account of the 
disease in silkworms in Europe, in consequence of their 
wet summers. This is the reason they are obliged to 
obtain eggs from countries where the worms arc not dis- 
eased, so as to keep up the stock and obtain their silk 
crops. 

I have sold all my eggs for Europe, and they are 



112 THE CALIFORNIA 

engaged by the same house for the coming years ; but 
I reserve what I want, and to encourage our people to 
propagate and plant as many mulberry trees as they 
can, I will furnish every one in our State their first 
silkworm eggs gratis, for several years to come, and 
they will only have to let me know what amount of 
food they have, to guide me in sending their eggs. 

I shall publish my California Silk Culture, and it 
is so simple that every one will be able to follow it. I 
think, too, that it may be a good plan for me to write 
letters to France, to let the facts about silk culture in 
our State become as widely known there as possible, so 
that silk growers may see the inducement to come 
here and prosecute the business. This would be a 
great benefit to the State, as the quantity of silk that 
can be raised in California is immense, and this would 
bring millions to the State, instead of sending our 
money abroad to import the article. I am for home 
industry, and consequently, against importing. I have 
made this my home forever, and I shall die satisfied, 
if I can live long enough to see that I have been of 
some help for her prosperity ; my time and energy will 
always be devoted to this end. 

In order that every one will be enabled to raise 
their own mulberry trees, I have published the mode of 
culture, either from seed or cuttings, in the California 
Farmer, some two years ago, and at the same time in 
the French paper. But if any point pertaining to that 
important branch of industry, that you may think use- 



silk grower's manual. 118 

ful to the public, remains unexplained, I shall feel 
great pleasure in answering your interrogatories. 
Yours, etc. 

L. Pre vost. 



[From the San Jose Mercury, April 26, 1866. ] 
SILK CULTURE. 

Editor Mercury : 

Dear Sir : In your last issue you have an article 
from the daily Union of Sacramento, about silk cul- 
ture, stating that I am going, this summer, to establish 
a cocoonery or feeding of the worms before the public 
in the agricultural hall there. 

This is true ; but it is very important to all those 
residing nearer to San Jose than Sacramento, to know 
that I will give a public exhibition of the process of silk 
culture here first, and go to Sacramento after. These 
are my arrangements, and what I have agreed to do. 

1st. I will write first the " California Silk Manual," 
in which I will give the culture, management, and 
propagation by seed and cuttings of the mulberry tree ; 
and afterwards the California silk culture, or manage- 
ment of the worms, according to my simplified method 
for our fine climate. 

2d. I will do two public feedings of the worms, the 
first at San Jose, at our City Hall, under the general 
supervision of our Santa Clara Valley Agricultural So 



114 THE CALIFORNIA 

ciety, commencing on the fifteenth of May next; and 
the second at Sacramento in the Agricultural Hall, 
under the general supervision of the State Board of 
Agriculture, commencing the tenth of July next. It 
will take six weeks at each place to go through the 
whole process. Thus all those in the State that wish 
to learn how to raise silk, will have an opportunity. 
Nothing will be neglected on my part towards instruct- 
ing them in all I know about the business so as to ena- 
ble them to conduct it successfully. 

I wish to impart to your numerous readers a few 
very important facts that have occurred since my last 
letters published about silk culture. 

1st. I have been gone some seven weeks to Sacra- 
mento, and I have the pleasure to state that "An Act 
encouraging Silk Culture in California," has been 
passed, and is in such shape, that it is an encouragement 
for all those who will engage in that business for the 
next four years. This is the best act for the interests 
of the State, passed in our last Legislature, because 
our climate and soil is so superiorly adapted for silk 
culture, that it will bring a large emigration to this 
State. 

2d. Another important fact is, that within three 
months, we will have at San Francisco our California 
Pioneer Silk Manufactory. My friend, Mr. New- 
mann, has sailed by the steamer of the tenth inst. for 
New York, to buy there all the necessary machinery, 
looms, etc. He and his brother, who is here also, have 
already been in that business ten years. I expect that 



silk grower's manual. 115 

at our next Fairs, this fall, we will be able to show Cal- 
ifornia silk of California manufacture. This will insure 
a market at home for all the silk cocoons we can raise. 

3d. I am receiving, every day, letters on questions 
about silk, from all parts of the State. This shows 
that our people begin to feel an interest in that rich 
branch of industry ; and from these letters I see that 
we have in the State all the men necessary to carry it 
forward in all its branches. And in my letters from 
Europe I see that silk growers, silk spinners, and silk 
manufacturers are preparing to come to this State. 

In my previous letters on silk, I have fully demon- 
strated the superiority of our climate, and our advan- 
tages over the other silk countries. 

By the above facts it is very easy to see that the 
silk culture will be established all over the State 
shortly. Already plantations have been made in differ- 
ent parts of the State, and particularly last season ; 
but we can anticipate that the next season hundreds 
will go into it, because they will know how to do it ; 
and also know that they are encouraged by the State. 
Hence, within a short time we will be able to retain 
among us the seven millions of dollars sent out annu- 
ally for the importation of silk only. 

As the time is short between now and the time I am 
to engage in the enterprise publicly at San Jose, all 
the papers in our section of country that take any 
interest in the public welfare are earnestly requested 
to copy, in order that all may be properly notified of 
the fact. As it is a work for ladies, they can come 



116 THE CALIFORNIA 

when it is impossible for their husbands to come. Silk 
culture can be undertaken by every one, poor or rich ; 
and is a business in which we do not fear competition. 
On the contrary, we need it, and the more who engage 
in it the better. It will certainly bring a large emi- 
gration to this country. Yours truly, 

L. Prevost. 
Sax Jose, April 24, 1866. 



[San Jose Mercury, May 10, 1866.] 

SILK CULTURE— CHANGE OF PROGRAMME. 

Editor Mercury : A few days after I started for 
Sacramento, my wife sold some silkworms' eggs to a 
party from Santa Barbara, and left my two boxes of 
eggs in my office, when they have to be kept constantly 
in the cellar. On my return I put them in the cellar, 
but they were prepared to hatch, having been so long 
a time under the influence of hatching heat ; and the 
other day, on going to visit them, I found them mostly 
hatched out, and the balance hatching. I have between 
eight hundred thousand and a million ; and as, in and 
about San Jose, there is hardly food for one hundred 
thousand, at present, I am obliged to go to Sacra- 
mento, where I have food for them. Then it will be 
impossible for me to give a public feeding at San Jose, 
as anticipated, this season, and I shall have to defer it 
until next. I will leave some worms with my wife, in 



silk grower's manual. 117 

case that somebody may wish to see thorn. I will have 
a grand exhibition of silk and silk cocoons at our Santa 
Clara Valley Fair, in September, and will give there 
all the information needed on that important subject. I 
will see that such an accident does not occur again. It 
never has occurred before during the five years that I 
have been raising them. 

Yours, respectfully, 

L. Prevost. 
San Jose Mav 6, 1866. 



[Sacramento Daily Union, August 25, 1866.] 

SILK FACTORY AND SILK RAISING. 

We are informed by L. Prevost, of San Jose, who 
is so deeply interested in the production of silk, that 
his friend Joseph Newman has recently returned from 
the East, with a complete set of machinery, looms, etc., 
to take the silk from the cocoon and manufacture it in 
all forms and styles. The machinery is stated to be of 
the latest and most improved kind, and he intends to 
produce from it the first piece of silk manufactured for 
exhibition at the State Fair. On visiting the principal 
silk factories in the East, Newman observed that some 
of the manufacturers employed as many as three thou- 
sand hands. As we have the best country in the ' 
world for the raising of silk, Prevost is in hopes that in 
a short time wo will raise enough of it to employ as 

6* 



118 THE CALIFORNIA 

many or more hands in the manufacture of our own 
product. It can easily be done. A large number of 
persons are interesting themselves, in good earnest, in 
the raising of silk, and the next season will witness a 
large development of this business, especially now that 
we have in California a silk factory, and a home market 
for all the cocoons which can be produced. In this 
connection it is all important that proper soil is selected 
for the cultivation of the mulberry. On this subject, 
Prevost remarks, in a communication to the Union : 

" The mulberry will grow most anywhere in Califor- 
nia, but has a decided preference for a rich, deep, light, 
loamy soil. Such soil will produce as much food from 
one acre as you would get from three or four acres of 
other soil. Then calculate the great economy of work, 
etc., and the great profit. We have hundreds of thou- 
sands acres of such soil in all our valleys in California. 
I know plenty of it in our fine valley of San Jose, but 
I have remarked it particularly and more generally in 
your Sacramento valley. The quantity of silk that can 
be raised there will be immense, as it does not matter 
if the lands are overflowed when the trees are once 
started. 

" I have news from the different localities in our 
State, where I have sent silkworms' eggs, and every 
where, where they had fresh mulberry leaves to give 
the worms, they have all succeeded. 

" It would take a long letter to enumerate all the 
profits that will be derived from the fact of our manu- 
facturing our own silk. 



silk grower's manual. 119 

" All our farmers, who are on their own land, ought 
to select the very best part of it to plant mulberry 
trees, as the raising of siljk can be done by their chil- 
dren. They will find that, in that culture, we have no 
competition to fear. On the contrary, the more en- 
gaged in it the better, as we have the whole world for 
our market." 



[From the Sacnimento Daily Union, July 12, 186(5.] 
THE SILKWORMS AT AGRICULTURAL HALL. 

Messrs. Uditors : I have been engaged in feeding 
silkworms, and raising silk in California, since 1860, 
and have never seen any disease among my worms until 
this year, at Sacramento, and I feel it to be my duty to 
state to the public some of the facts connected with my 
effort at Sacramento, and the reasons of my trouble and 
disease among the worms. 

In the first place, they hatched by an accident, which 
I have heretofore explained, some two months before I 
intended to have them ; but as I had agreed to make a 
public feeding at Sacramento, to assist in introducing 
the business in the State, I thought it best to undertake 
it, even though I had some doubts about its sue 
The worms, hatching as they did, could not be properly 
separated, and those of the same age only kept together, 
as should be the case ; but I was compelled to keep and 
feed all together, though some were over a week older 



120 THE CALIFORNIA 

than others. For this reason it was necessary to feed 
them all the time they were molting, which is very 
detrimental to the successful molting and health of the 
worm. 

Again, young" worms require the very tender and 
young leaves, and I found it impossible to obtain such 
in Sacramento ; most of the trees there being of some 
age ; and standing in or near the streets, the leaves 
were covered with dust, and were generally only fit to 
feed worms when nearly grown. After the food was 
exhausted in Sacramento, I had to ship leaves from 
Marysville, Nicolaus, Lincoln, and other places, and it 
frequently happened that they did not come when 
expected and when I needed them ; and a number of 
times they came heated and soured, and in this condi- 
tion they were fed to the worms. This, of itself, was 
more than sufficient to cause them all to be diseased. 
I felt most certain it would do so, but I was compelled 
to feed them — as I could get no other — and I was only 
surprised that they kept in so good condition until the 
17th of June, when we could get no more mulberry 
leaves, and were obliged to feed them all on the Osage 
orange. 

From that time the disease spread rapidly, and while 
I am satisfied it was the heated food that originated the 
disease, I am also satisfied that this change of food, 
from the mulberry to the orange, caused it to spread 
w T ith greater violence, and become more fatal. Taking 
all the circumstances together, my greatest wonder is, 
that the worms made any cocoons at all. In most any 



silk grower's manual. 121 

other climate than that of California, instead of fifteen 
thousand cocoons, they would not have made any. 

My ill success at Agricultural Hall should in no 
manner discourage any one from engaging in the busi- 
ness of silk culture, as I am well satisfied that all dis- 
ease can be avoided, and the business made a success 
in Sacramento and many other parts of the State, as 
well as at San Jose, where all my trials have been suc- 
cessful. But to be successful anywhere, fresh leaves 
right from the mulberry tree, and plenty of them, are 
absolutely necessary. And here I am very happy to 
be able to prove my opinion in this matter correct, by a 
very opportune example. I gave, among others who 
applied for them when I first came to Sacramento, to 
Wilson Flint, some worms, and on the twenty-eighth 
day of June, when Secretary Hoag and myself visited 
Flint, I was very much pleased to find that he had had 
excellent success with them, there being no disease 
among them, and nearly all had made very large and 
good cocoons. Others, also, have been equally success- 
ful, and in every case success has attended all who had 
plenty of fresh leaves to feed them. 

I was not able in Sacramento to follow the California 
system of feeding. My mode of feeding is with 
branches containing the leaves, so placed as to cause 
the worms to climb upon them to get the food. The 
advantages of this system are: first, to save labor; 
second, the leaves keep fresh much longer ; and, third, 
to give the worms plenty of fresh air. 

Before closing this letter, I wish to return thanks to 



122 THE CALIFORNIA 

the citizens of Sacramento, generally, for the interest 
they manifested in the enterprise, and particularly to 
those who were so kind as to give the free use of all the 
mulberry leaves they had. I am also under obligations 
to the State Board of Agriculture for the use of the 
hall, and other kindnesses extended. 

L. Prevost. 



[From the Tehama Observer, January 3, 1866.] 
SILK. 

We invite the special attention of our readers to the 
very interesting letter on silk, contributed by L. Prevost, 
Esq., of San Jose, one of California's pioneer farmers. 
What he says can be depended upon as the results of 
long experience in this State, and a thorough knowledge 
of the climate and productions of this and other coun- 
tries. We take pleasure in saying, for his information, 
that there are thousands of acres in Tehama County of 
such land as he deems best adapted to the growth of 
the mulberry — in large tracts near the Sacramento 
River, and in smaller parcels along the many creeks. 
If Mr. Prevost, or Col. Warren, will have the politeness 
to forward to us the numbers of the California Farmer 
containing the several articles alluded to in the letter, 
we shall be pleased to acknowledge the favor, and re- 
publish the articles for the advantage of our readers. 
If any of our readers wish to offer any remarks on this 
important subject, or on any other question — such as 
wool, cotton, flax, tobacco, fruit — of general interest, 
we will be most happy to hear them. 



silk grower's manual. 123 

[From the Tehama Observer, January 3, 1886.] 
L. PREYOST ON SILK CULTURE. 

San Jose, January 20th, 1866. 
Editor Tehama Observer, 

Dear Sir: Please accept nry thanks for having 
sent me the Observer, containing an article on " Silk 
Culture." I wish that all editors who publish anything 
on the subject would do the same. 

My five years raising silk here have demonstrated 
beyond any doubt that California is the best spot on 
the globe for raising silk. In one of my letters to the 
Farmer, lately, in enumerating the advantages that 
we have here over France and Italy, I have fully 
established that we can produce silk here for the half 
of the cost there ; and we will have the highest price 
of the market, our silk being of first quality — as I can 
prove by certificates from the highest scientific silk 
societies in Europe, to which I sent samples of silk 
cocoons and reeled silk to be tested. 

Here, we have nothing to disturb the worms. Our 
climate is so very superior, that I was enabled to sim- 
plify the culture considerably. I made a new system, 
adapted to the California climate, by which one man 
can take care of and raise as many silkworms as eight 
men would in France or Italy under the old system, 
that the moisture of the climate obliges them to follow. 

A very remarkable fact is that our climate, which 
is so favorable to the silkworms, is also extremely 



124 THE CALIFORNIA 

favorable to the growth of the mulberry trees, with 
which we feed them. It thrives here in California every- 
where, but prefers a light, loamy, and deep soil. When 
at Sacramento, the first thing that attracted my atten- 
tion was that very best quality of soil there ; and after 
I had been shown some mulberry trees growing there, I 
found that I was not mistaken. In measuring the shoots 
of one year's growth, most of them were from ten to 
twelve feet long, and some as long as fifteen feet. Who 
can beat this ? It surpasses everything ever seen 
before. I am told that there is any amount of such 
land in the Sacramento Valley, and I suppose it ex- 
tends up to your locality, and perhaps further. I 
would like very much to know it. Many other valleys 
in California are probably as good. 

It is impossible to calculate the hundreds of millions 
of dollars worth of silk that we can raise in California ; 
the silk being such a rich product that, in a few years, 
it will bring more to our State than all other products 
together ; and I feel happy to see that our people 
begin to understand it, by the numerous letters that I 
am receiving every day on this important question. 

Mr. Wilson Flint came to see me yesterday. I 
learned from this gentleman that he has already one 
hundred thousand mulberry trees planted, and that 
from cuttings and from seeds he expects to have about 
three hundred thousand mulberry trees. He has made 
arrangements to plant three hundred acres of his supe- 
rior bottom lands, to begin with, and more after. He 
intends to have not only the largest silk establishment 
in California, but on the globe. 



silk grower's manual. 125 

With such inducements, we will soon have a silk 
factory in California, and our California ladies will soon, 
I hope, wear silk raised and made by their own hands. 

To enable every one to raise mulberry trees for their 
own use, I published in the California Farmer, nearly 
two years ago, the culture of that tree by cuttings and 
by seeds. 

Any information desired by any of your readers on 
this important industry, I am ready to give. 

Yours, respectfully, L. Prevost. 



[From the Teliama Observer, April 2?, 1866.] 

SILK CULTURE. 

San Jose, Cal., April 23, 1866. 
Editor Teliama Observer, 

Dear Sir : I have before me a copy of your paper, 
of the third of February last, in which you publish the 
letter I wrote you on " Silk Culture." I do not know 
if you have published anything since relating to that 
important branch of industry ; if not, I consider it my 
duty to let you know very important facts. I see with 
great pleasure, in your editorial, that your section of 
country is, as I expected, similar to the soil that 1 have 
remarked round Sacramento City. Then you will soon 
see silk culture established around you ; and I will feel 



126 THE CALIFORNIA 

happy to have contributed to the prosperity of your 
valley. Here are the facts alluded to. 

I. I have been up to Sacramento about seven 
weeks, and I have the pleasure to inform your readers 
that " An Act to encourage Silk Culture in California " 
was passed at the late session of the Legislature, and is 
in such a shape that it is an encouragement for all who 
will engage in that rich industry, and is operative for 
four years. This is the best act of our last Legislature 
for the direct interest of the State. 

II. As I see the silk culture properly encouraged 
by the State, here is what I have agreed to do, to 
encourage it also : First, I will write, in a few weeks, 
the " California Silk Manual," in which I will give the 
culture, management, and propagation by seeds and 
cuttings of the mulberry tree ; and after, our simplified 
California silk culture or management of the worms. 

III. I will do two public feedings of the worms ; 
the first in San Jose, in our City Hall, commencing on 
the fifteenth of May next ; and the second at Sacra- 
mento, in Agricultural Hall, commencing on the tenth 
of July next. It will take, at each place, to go through 
the whole process, six weeks. This will give an oppor- 
tunity to all those who may desire, to learn how to raise 
silk in California. Knowing the places where I am to 
do it, and the dates of commencing, those living in the 
interior, in any section of the country, will go to the 
place nearest their residence ; and if they are desirous 
to learn, nothing will be neglected on my part, to 



STLK GROWER'S MANUAL. 127 

enable them to conduct the business — in showing and 
telling them all I know about it. 

IV. Another very important fact that I wish to 
bring to the notice of your readers is, that inside of 
three months we will have at San Francisco our Cali- 
fornia Pioneer Silk Manufactory. Tins shows that we 
will have at home a market for our silk cocoons. Many 
persons have been telling me that it was no use to raise 
silk cocoons, because we had no manufactory, and con- 
sequently no market for them here. This objection 
does not exist any more, my friend Mr. Newman hav- 
ing sailed on the steamer of the tenth inst., for New 
York, where he will purchase all the necessary machin- 
ery, and it is anticipated that at our next Fairs, in the 
fall, we will be able to show the first piece of California 
silk, and of California manufacture. 

Y. I am receiving every day a great many letters 
on questions about silk from all parts of our State. 
This shows that a great interest is felt every where in 
this important industry. In the pile of letters on the 
subject that came during the time I was at Sacramento, 
I see that we have among us, in our State, all the men 
for every branch of this business, from the planting of 
the mulberry to finishing the manufactured silk. I also 
see in my letters from Europe, that silk growers, silk 
spinners, and silk manufacturers are preparing to come. 
This I am glad to see, because it will he a greal 
benefit to the State, as the beauty of that industry is 
that it is the only one in which we do not fear compe- 
tition ; on the contrary wc need it, and the more there 



128 THE CALIFORNIA 

are engaged in it the better. It is, then, our interest 
to encourage and help our neighbors to go into it. Our 
market for silk is the whole world, and we are bound to 
get the highest price for it, as our silk is of first quality ; 
and another great advantage is that we can raise it 
here for half the cost that it is obtained in France or 
Italy. I do not know if you have the letter in which 
I enumerated our advantages over the other countries ; 
if not, and you desire it, I will send you a copy of it, 
and you and your readers will be convinced of what I 
say. 

YI. Large plantations are already made in different 
parts of the State. A good number of them were com- 
menced last season, the largest being that of Mr. Wilson 
Flint, of Sacramento. It is in connection with Mr. 
Flint that I am doing the feeding of the worms at Sacra- 
mento. 

Now, Mr. Editor, reflecting a moment on the above 
facts, we can say that the silk culture is virtually estab- 
lished all over the State, as our people will soon know 
how to do it. It is my opinion that there will be hun- 
dreds of new plantations the coming season, and those 
who set them out will do well ; because, besides being a 
good business, they will get more of the premiums offered 
by the State. It makes me hope that within a very 
few years we will be able to keep with us the seven mil- 
lions of dollars that we are now annually sending out for 
the importation of silk only. These are the wishes with 
which I remain, 

Respectfully yours, L. Prevost. 



silk grower's manual. 129 

[Mercantile Gazette, December 18, 1866.] 
SILK AND SILKWORMS IN CALIFORNIA. 

L. Prevost, the persevering pioneer of silk culture 
in this State, writes from San Jose in part as follows. 

We cannot too much encourage our friends to go 
into this branch of industry, which is bound to surpass 
in value, for exportation, all other California products 
taken together. They can enter into it with more cer- 
tainty of success than in mining operations, because they 
have no opposition or failure to fear. The regularity of 
our fine dry summers, without rain, storms, or elec- 
tricity, which are the enemies of silk culture, insures 
regular, good crops every year. The beauty of this new 
industry for Calfornia is that it cannot be overdone. I 
say it is the only business in which we need not fear op- 
position or failure, because if it were possible to plant 
the whole State next year with full grown mulberry 
trees, and everybody engaged in raising silk, it would 
not lower the price of silk two cents per pound, as wc 
have not only California, but the whole world for a mar- 
ket. Therefore it is our duty to encourage and help 
all who wish to engage in this business. For my part, 
I intend doing this : I will furnish persons desiring silk 
culture in their locality with their first silkworm eggs 
gratis. They will only have to furnish me their address, 
and the amount of food they have, so as to guide me in 
the number of eggs to send. 

The work necessary to raise silkworms in ( lalifornia is 



130 THE CALIFORNIA 

very little, as our climate is so favorable to that culture 
that it enabled me to simplify it considerably. In proof 
of this, I need only state that I have this last season 
raised over 100,000 silkworms, every worm making a 
cocoon ; and all this with my own work alone. This is 
the work of eight persons in France or Italy. Our 
California silk culture is so simple that, as soon as it is 
published extensively, everybody in the State will en- 
gage in raising silk as well as any other production. If 
we consider it a moment, the quantity of silk that could 
be raised in California is immense ; and it would afford 
employment to thousands of families, in raising as well 
as in manufacturing it. It is an easy work, that can be 
done by aged persons, as well as by the young of both 
sexes. Then our ladies would have a right to feel 
proud in wearing silk dresses made of silk raised by 
their own hands. In France and in Italy silk is raised 
very extensively, and millions of families are living by 
this work. The silk exported from Italy surpasses in 
value, by two-thirds, all other exportations together. 

A remarkable fact is, that with our climate so very 
favorable to silkworms, we also have a soil well adapted 
to the growth of mulberry trees. They thrive almost 
everywhere in the State ; but the best soil for them that 
I have yet seen is in the bottom lands of the Sacra- 
mento Valley. A large quantity of those trees will be 
planted there the coming season. I suppose some will 
also be planted in the San Joaquin Valley, where there 
is already quite a large plantation — that of Mr. Gles- 
sing — commenced last year. But the largest planta- 



SILK GROWER'S MANUAL. 131 

tions in California are those of A. Packard and E. Goux. 



of Santa Barbara. Those plantations were made three 
years ago, and are now in fine condition. These gen- 
tlemen will raise the coming season a large quantity of 
silkworms, and will probably turn them to eggs. My 
own exhibit of silk, from five years raising, proves be- 
yond a doubt that California is the very best spot for 
that culture. This, and the testimony which I receive 
from others, shows that this new industry for California 
is now fairly started. 

Two gentlemen, experienced, scientific, and practical 
silk growers, on their way back from China, where they 
had been to buy a large quantity of silkworms' eggs, re- 
cently came to see me, to get information about silk in 
California. I told them all the facts, showed them the 
cocoons and where I raised them, and also the mulberry 
trees. Being gentlemen who understood the silk busi- 
ness perfectly, they agreed with me that we have the 
best silk country in the world, and were so pleased at 
learning this fact that they are going to return here next 
summer with the necessary capital to buy one hundred 
acres of land each, to raise silkworms' eggs and silk on 
a large scale. These gentlemen are the representatives 
of the two largest silk houses in Europe, and are now on 
their way back to France. From them I learned a 
very important fact, namely, that our climate is so supe- 
rior for silk culture that, by selecting our very best 
cocoons for eggs year after year for our -own use, we 
could after a few years obtain cocoons that would beat 
everything known for size and quality — that is to say, a 



132 THE CALIFORNIA 

superior article. In this opinion I fully concur. The 
coming of these gentlemen from France will probably 
induce other silk growers to come also, which would be 
a great benefit to the State. 



[Mercantile Gazette, January 9, 1866.] 
SILK CULTURE. 

Of cotton and silk we have made a successful begin- 
ning : of the former about 800 acres raised in 1865, 
while of silk and silkworm culture the following commu- 
nication received from L. Prevost, of San Jose, states 
that— 

u Having noticed in your valuable paper an article 
alluding to the culture of the silkworm in California, and 
remarking your appreciation of the importance of this 
interest, I desire to give you briefly a statement em- 
bodying the result of five years' experiments. I stated 
several years ago my belief that the climate of Califor- 
nia was superior to all others for the raising of the silk- 
worm, and the attention I have since given this subject 
only strengthens that conviction. It is also gratifying 
that this opinion has received the complete endorsement 
of two practical and scientific silk growers, representing 
the largest silk houses of Europe, who called upon me 
on their return from China and other portions of the 
globe. After examining the silk cocoons I had raised, 
they pronounced California the best country in the world 



SILK GROWERS MANUAL. 133 

for silk culture. Why this is so, is chiefly the absence 
of rain-storms, thunder, etc., during the feeding of 
worms in June. The first time I raised the silk, it was 
the prevailing opinion that it could not profitably be 
done, owing to the high price of labor. I was aware of 
the difference in this feature of California from other 
silk-growing countries ; but it is equally a fact that for 
the price of renting one acre of land in Italy or France 
two or three acres can be bought here. This, with the 
employment of Chinese, equalized the labor question. 
To enumerate in detail a few of the advantages Califor- 
nia possesses over other silk-growing countries, I note 
the following facts : In France and Italy, notwithstand- 
ing all the care which the climate forces growers to give 
the worms, they are more or less diseased — in the best 
years, calculating their loss at least 25 to 30 per 
cent., and often running as high as 75 per cent., while 
in California we have no loss of worms from disease, 
though treating them roughly. The climate so favora- 
ble to their culture is equally so to the growth of the 
mulberry tree, surpassing anything I have witnessed 
elsewhere. Of course the more food we have the more 
worms we can raise. In the silk countries already 
named, the land having been cultivated for centuries, is 
exhausted, and to sustain it a great outlay of money is 
required to properly manure and enrich the soil. I [ere 
all this is unnecessary, as well as the erection, 
other parts of the world, of very large and expensive 
buildings, with costly apparatus. A structure not cost- 
ing one-quarter the amount usually expended answering 



134 THE CALIFORNIA 

every purpose, and which can afterwards be used for the 
storage of grain, etc. Neither is any outlay required 
for artificial heat. I simply transfer the eggs from the 
cellar to the garret, and the heat of the sun through the 
roof will make them hatch in three days. But above 
all is that by the absence of all elaborate apparatus, etc., 
thus simplifying the culture of silkworms, one person 
here can do the work of eight under the old system. 
You will remember I am not giving you crude ideas, 
but settled facts ; and any reasoning person reflecting 
for a moment, considering the above named points, can- 
not fail to see the great advantages we have over all 
other silk-growing countries, not only raising our silk at 
half the usual cost, but as for reasons before given, 
being a superior article, we will get the highest market 
price. Then let us stop sending our millions to foreign 
countries, estimated at not less than from eight to ten 
millions of dollars annually ; for as the Southern States 
are adapted to the raising of cotton — and we have our 
cotton States — so let California be our silk State. To 
parties in any part of the world who wish to engage in a 
sure and profitable business, easily understood, and one 
in which young and old can alike engage, I can say, 
come to California and raise silk. As soon as there is 
enough silk cultivated here we will have our domestic 
manufactories, and the ladies of California can be justly 
proud of wearing silk raised and manufactured in our 
own State. That this may be so, and that I can see 
our own manufactured silk shipped to other countries, 
bringing in return the thousands we now send away, are 
the wishes of your correspondent." 



silk grower's manual. 135 



OX SILKWORMS AND THE CULTURE OF SILK.*.} 

The Committee on these subjects have endeavored to 
perform the duty designated, but regret their inability 
to do full justice to the important trust confided to 
them. 

Their especial attention was called to the exhibition 
of silkworms and cocoons, by L. Prevost of San Jose, 
who has, in the opinion of the Committee, most suc- 
cessfully demonstrated that California is one of the best, 
if not the very best silk producing country in the 
world. They have learned to their own satisfaction, 
not only from those who know something of Mr. Pre- 
vost's operations in this line, but, also, from personal 
observation during a visit to his cocoonery in San Jose, 
that Mr. Prevost is justly deserving of the highest 
premium the Institute can award him, for the commend- 
able zeal and perseverance he has exhibited under the 
greatest difficulties, in successfully inaugurating this 
new branch of industry in our State. The demand, 
both for silk and silkworm eggs, is so extensive and 
constantly increasing, that the business cannot be over- 
done, but its successful prosecution must, in time, give 
employment to many thousands of our people, with a 
net profit of millions of dollars annually. 

Mr. Prevost's simple narrative of his early efforts 
and drawbacks was exceedingly interesting to the Com- 



* Report of the Committee on this subj eel to the San Francisco 

Mechanics' Institute, at their Fifth Industrial Exhibition in 1865. 



136 THE CALIFORNIA 

inittee, and they induced him to commit to writing some 
of the leading facts, together -with some remarks by 
Hentsch, which are hereby submitted, in the hope that 
they may not be lost or forgotten. 

The Committee deem themselves not oversanguine 
of the great results to flow from the introduction of this 
important branch of industry into our State, when they 
hope and believe the day is not far distant when a grat- 
ified people will, through their Legislature, offer some 
public recognition of the services rendered by Mr. 
Prevost. — Awarded a gold medal. 

FACTS ON SILK IN CALIFORNIA. — BY L. PREVOST. 

After I had passed a summer in California, I came 
to the conclusion that it was one of the very best coun- 
tries in the world for raising silk, as well as wine, etc., 
etc., but the difficulty was to obtain, first, mulberry 
trees, and, afterwards, silkworm eggs. In 1863 or '64, 
I had occasion to meet with Mr. Henry Hentsch, who 
had the same opinion of our beautiful climate, and its 
adaptability for silk cultivation, and he, himself, began 
a conversation on that important subject. From that 
conversation was born the culture of silk in California. 
Mr. Hentsch imported the mulberry seed from France, 
from which I raised a number of fine mulberry trees. 
Mr. Hentsch was informed as soon as the trees were 
of some size, and he made arrangements to import silk- 
worm eggs from China. They arrived here dead — it 
was impossible to hatch one of them. The following 
year he imported another lot from the same place, and 



SILK grower's manual. 137 

with the same result. After this second attempt I was 
a little discouraged, finding that it was impossible to 
import eggs in good condition, and expecting to have 
no further use for my mulberry trees, I had the most of 
them destroyed, keeping only a few. 

The third year, Mr. Hentsch imported eggs again 
from the same place, and at the same time from France. 
I was then very sorry to have destroyed so many of 
my mulberry trees, as the eggs from France proved to 
be in good condition, and hatched out very well. At 
that time I had a friend here, Mr. Miller, who was a 
competent silk cultivator, to whom I showed the eggs. 
He pronounced them good, and also agreed, for the 
first time, to help me, which he did. The worms did 
well, and produced fine cocoons of silk of the first qual- 
ity, as I can prove by certificates from the two highest 
silk societies in Europe, to whom silk and silk cocoons 
had been sent to be tested. 

Up to this time we have not been able to discover 
any indications of disease, which is most extraordinary : 
it must be the good influence of the climate of Califor- 
nia operating as we expected. As I had no other room 
for the purpose, I have been obliged to raise the worms 
in a green house, which was extremely hot in daytime, 
and nearly freezing at night. Under such unfavorable 
circumstances, not one worm would have lived in Eu- 
rope. Now, any thinking man can judge what Buccess 
we might reasonably expect if we had a proper mom 
in which to raise them. 

The first vear I made silk was in 1.8G0. I sent bou- 



138 THE CALIFORNIA 

quets of cocoons and silk to about every Fair all over 
our State ; they attracted the attention of visitors, but 
I received no encouragement. On the contrary, I 
heard many say that this culture could not be pursued 
profitably in California, on account of the high price of 
labor. I was aware of the apparent truth of this be- 
fore I attempted the production of silk, but I thought 
for this kind of labor Chinese might be employed, who 
are used to the work ; and, beside that, I knew that 
the price for buying three or four acres of land here 
does not exceed the price of renting one acre in Eu- 
rope, where silk is raised in large quantities. This 
advantage, I expected, would more than compensate 
for the difference between the price of labor in Europe, 
and Chinese labor here, because the silk grower in Eu- 
rope has to deduct from his profits the rent of the land 
every year. But the question of labor is now fully set- 
tled, and silk can be raised in California with great 
profit. Calculating on the great superiority of our cli- 
mate, I thought to try to take advantage of it, and I 
have succeeded in simplifying that culture even beyond 
my expectation. One man here can raise and take 
care of as many silkworms as eight men can do in Eu- 
rope. As my mode of culture is adapted to the climate 
of California, I propose to call it California Silk Cul- 
ture. It could by no means be employed either in 
France or Italy, where they have rains during the sea- 
son of feeding, but might be used in any place where 
there is a climate similar to this. 

The culture of silk in California is so simple that any 



silk grower's manual. 139 

one may understand it. It is easy work, and can be 
done by quite young persons, either male or female ; 
the ladies, therefore, may have the pleasure of raising 
their own silk. 

It will be a great pleasure to me to have contributed 
something towards the retention in our State of the 
millions of dollars that are paid out for the single im- 
portation of silk. Not only may we raise silk for our 
own consumption, but we can, in California, raise silk 
for the world, and export it. This article must increase 
in value ; this year it is increased twenty-five per cent, 
in price in Europe. It is an article in which we need 
not fear competition ; we need not be afraid to see our 
neighbor raising it, because, if nearly everybody was 
raising it all over the State, it would not lower the 
price two cents per pound. This year, when the price 
of fruits is exceedingly low, allows us to show the advan- 
tage of the mulberry over fruit trees, as the fruit must 
all be consumed within a certain time or it is lost, 
which is very far from being the case with the silk. 

I have been engaged in my experiments in Califor- 
nia silk culture three years, and this year raised over 
one hundred thousand cocoons. 

Several gentlemen have made large plantation 
as to pursue this business hereafter on a larger scale. 
Among them I can name Mr. A. Packard, and also 
Mr. Q. Goux, of Santa Barbara, who have planted 
three thousand mulberry trees, and Mr. Glessi] 
San Joaquin Valley, whose plantation dates from lasl 
year. 



140 THE CALIFORNIA 

Besides what may be done with the silk, we have a 
constant demand for eggs by the European culturists, 
as there they have the disease, and to insure a crop 
have to get their eggs from countries where the disease 
does not prevail. By not using sound eggs their crop 
is very much exposed ; but, besides all that, and all 
they can do, in their best years their losses are gener- 
ally twenty-five per cent., sometimes fifty per cent., and, 
in very bad years, as high as seventy-five per cent. 
Here we suffer none of these losses, and, as there is 
nothing to cause disease, every worm makes a cocoon. 
This also merits some reflection and consideration in 
favor of the superiority of our climate. It would be 
quite too long to enumerate every thing in our favor, 
but I cannot help remarking that the principal point is 
that the mulberry tree grows here most luxuriantly, 
and I believe, also, that our virgin soil produces leaves 
of the best quality. In order that every one may be 
able to raise his own mulberry trees, I have published 
a treatise on the culture of that tree, both by seeds 
and cuttings, in the California Farmer, and also in 
the French paper. It is calculated that an ounce of 
silkworm eggs contains forty thousand ; I have pro- 
duced several millions of eggs this season, and they 
were all sold at the rate of ten dollars per ounce to be 
sent to France, and those for years to come are engaged 
for the same house. If I had them by hundreds of 
pounds I could sell them immediately. The eggs are 
in great demand, also, for Mexico ; I had an order for 
that country for five hundred ounces, but, of course, 



silk grower's manual. 141 

was unable to fill it. The largest order I had was for 
one hundred pounds, for Italy, and when I received 
that order I had only three ounces to sell. All this 
shows that in the future, besides supplying a large ex- 
port demand for silk, we will also have to export 
largely of eggs. 

The variety of mulberry to cultivate to obtain the 
best quality of silk is the white mulberry Qmorus albci) 
and its varieties, particularly the moretti. As to the 
multicaulis, I would recommend it only when the worms 
are very young, but not afterwards. The feeding of 
the worms continues only thirty-two or thirty-four days, 
when they make their cocoons, and twelve days after 
that they come out butterflies, and lay their eggs for 
the following year. They have to be kept in a cool, 
dry cellar to prevent them from hatching. 

Each female is expected to lay about three hundred 
eggs. Three hundred good cocoons weigh about one 
pound, and an ounce of eggs can produce one hundred 
and sixty-five pounds of cocoons ; twenty-eight ounces 
of selected cocoons give two ounces of eggs. 

REMARKS OF MR. HENRY HENTSCH. 

The memorandum of Mr. Prevost contains valuable 
and correct information about California silk culture. 
The main point on which the report must attract the 
attention of the community is this, that California has 
one of the best, if not the very best climate in the 
world for producing silk successfully, on account of 
the absence of rains and storms during the months of 



142 THE CALIFORNIA 

May, June, and July, which, prevailing in Europe, kill 
millions and millions of silkworms annually. 

The second point is, that it does not require any cap- 
ital — or, at least, very little — merely the purchase of 
the mulberry trees, which may be planted around the 
farms, cottages, and country residences. 

The shade of the mulberry tree is as good as the 
shade of the cotton-wood tree, and the fruit is very 
good for poultry. When the trees have grown up, the 
children and women may start in the silk trade, as it 
requires only the labor of gathering leaves to feed the 
worms, and that occupation takes only six weeks. It 
would be useless to go into further detail, as the prac- 
tice is ten times more valuable than the theory. There 
are in California a great number of Italians and French- 
men who understand the silk-raising business, and it 
will be very easy to have information and directions 
when wanted. 

The point to be first attended to is the planting of 
mulberry trees, which involves but a trifling expense for 
the present, and may prove of very great value in a 
few years. 

Hexry F. Williams, 
Samuel Tyler, 

Committee. 



silk grower's manual. 143 

CHAPTER I. 

OUR CLIMATE — ITS SUPERIORITY AND ITS ADVANTAGES. 

I wish you, gentle reader, to allow me to have a talk 
with you on our climate, as it is impossible for me to 
write this book without beginning with that genial silk 
climate. I have already written and said that we were 
in the best silk country in the world ; and I still main- 
tain the proposition. This will oblige me to make a few 
general remarks, on what I consider the most important 
point ; because our strength here is simply in the supe- 
riority of our climate for the silkworm, and the adap- 
tability of our rich soil for the mulberry. It has been 
said : " Wherever the mulberry finds a congenial 
climate and soil, there also the silkworm will flourish." 
Such climate and soil has California in a pre-eminent 
degree. 

The silkworm requires a pure atmosphere for the 
preservation of his health ; and we have it here. 

It has been observed in Toulouse, the healthiest part 
of France, that the silkworms raised in the huts of the 
poor peasants, and enjoying the pure air through the 
cracks and broken windows, were better than those 
raised by the rich. This shows that they need pure air. 
We can supply them with any amount of such air. 

But who gave me the idea that we were in a silk- 
country ? In 1850, after I had seen the first summer, 
it was the observing our fine climate without rain from 
May to October ; and, consequently, without storm and 



144 THE CALIFORNIA 

thunder — without any shock of electricity ; in fact, 
nothing to trouble the silkworm : on the contrary, any 
amount of sunshine, that causes the mulberry leaves to 
be of the first quality. This contributed largely to their 
health, as healthy food makes healthy w T orms. 

Having no other room that I could use in 1860, 
when I raised the first silk in California, I had to 
do it in a little green-house — a very bad place to raise 
silkworms, as they need to be in as even temperature 
as possible ; but in no other place does it vary so much 
as in a green-house, as you have a suffocating heat 
during the day, and it is very cold at night. From 
what cause have I succeeded so well in such a place ? 
Our climate ! 

For two years I have raised them in my garret. It 
is well established that the silkworm needs plenty of 
air; there I can give hardly any. Why then have 
they succeeded so well there also ? From the climate. 

Another fact, in which all the silk-growers are 
agreed, is that the room in which you are to raise your 
worms must be free of smells, and particularly the 
smell from the kitchen ! Mrs. Sauffrignon, in San 
Jos£, raised worms in her kitchen near her large stove, 
on which she has to cook for a large family ; and there 
she had large, strong, lively and healthy worms, who 
made the finest and best cocoons that we had on exhi- 
bition at the Fairs this year. How is it that she had 
such a result in a kitchen ? The answer is, from our 
climate. The worms, eating fresh mulberry leaves 



silk grower's MANUAL. 14") 

grown constantly under the rajs of a genial sun, can't 
fail to be healthy and make good cocoons. 

I could put here many more examples, but I think 
these are all-sufficient to prove the superiority of our 
climate for silk culture. 

I do not mean by the above to advise any one to do 
the same ; on the contrary, I will do all I can in this 
manual to make every one understand that they must 
not do' it : I have done it simply because I could not 
help it. The above facts are merely to show the power 
of our fine climate. It was also the climate which in- 
duced me to change the culture from the system pur- 
sued in France and Italy, in order to curtail the work. 
Such a superior climate offers us many advantages. 
These advantages are enumerated in a letter that I 
sent to the " California Farmer," dated December 21st, 
1865, and published in the first number of January last ; 
it reads thus : 

" Dear Sir — In my letter of November 12th, 
which you published in the ' Farmer ' of November 17th, 
I say the enumeration of facts in favor of silk culture in 
California are many, and they will be the subject of 
another letter as soon as possible; and, as it i3 too cold 
to work outside, I concluded to remain indoors and 
devote a few moments to that purpose. 

First — The question of labor we settle at the start. 
That question, before I made any silk, was settled in 
my own mind. I was aware of the difference in the 
price of labor here, compared with that in Prance and 
Italy, but thought that we could make up the difference 



148 THE CALIFORNIA 

larity that insures to us in the future good crops, and 
no loss or failure to be apprehended ; all those living in 
California can see that this is the truth. 

Fourth — The climate that is so favorable to silkworms 
is also, in the same proportion, as favorable to the 
growth of the mulberry tree ; and this is very important, 
because we cannot expect to raise silk without the mul- 
berry tree, for it is the foundation of that culture ; and 
the more we grow the more silk we can raise. The 
mulberry tree grows almost everywhere in California, 
but when it happens to be in the soil that suits it best 
its growth is extraordinary ; there is no other tree to 
compare with it : you can hardly believe when you see 
it. The bottom lands of the Sacramento Valley are 
about the best that I know of for the mulberry to grow 
rapidly. Our valley has some favorable spots also, and 
I started a few w^eeks ago to see two mulberry trees 
that I heard of, and was very much surprised at finding 
them so large ; being, I suppose, the largest in the 
State. The proprietor assured me that he planted them 
only about seven years ago. This is also a positive 
evidence that in the growing of mulberry trees we sur- 
pass all other countries. 

Fifth — In the silk countries referred to above, the 
land has been cultivated so many years that it is ex- 
hausted. They have to buy manure, which sells there 
very high ; they have then to cart it, and sometimes from 
a great distance ; they have the work of spreading it on 
the ground and putting it in ; and the labor ; and the 



silk grower's manual. 149 

buying of the manure is costly. We have no need of 
that here, as we have a virgin soil to plant in. 

Sixth — They have to erect very large and costly 
buildings, for the sole purpose of raising their silkworms. 
In these buildings they have all kinds of apparatus, all 
of which costs a large amount of money. We have no 
need of all this ; our only requirement is a room to raise 
our worms in, but not a costly one ; and, as to the ap- 
paratus, we do not require any at all. 

Seventh — They have to use artificial heat, which is 
also very costly. We use nothing of the kind here ; 
when we need more heat it is for hatching the eggs. 
When I want mine to hatch I take them simply from 
the cellar to the garret, and the heat of the sun through 
the roof is sufficient to make them hatch within their 
regular time. 

Eighth — We now come to the most important part, 
and that is to turn the mulberry leaves into silk. This 
requires much labor in France and Italy, but here it is 
almost nothing. As I found our climate so very favor- 
able I thought I would take advantage of it, and suc- 
ceeded certainly beyond what I expected, having 
able to change the culture to one adapted to our cli- 
mate, and in reducing the labor to one-eighth of what 
is required by the old system. It seems to be so extra- 
ordinary that some persons would hardly believe it ; 
but it is a fact, and I am ready to prove it at any time 
before any committee that may be appointed for that 
purpose, composed of the very best and most com] 
men in the country. I will here state to my readers 



150 THE CALIFORNIA 

that I wish them to remember that my rule is to write 
nothing but what I am convinced of, and what I can 
prove ; this being well understood, I wish them not to 
forget it. I am not a writer, but I do the best I can to 
be understood and convey my ideas. Now this great 
reduction of labor, if it was well understood, is enough 
to induce every one to go into that important branch 
of industry. I will simply say here, let every reasoning 
man peruse and reflect on the above facts, and I am 
sure that he will become satisfied that we can here pro- 
duce the silk with profit, for half the price that it can 
be done in France or Italy. But we have no reason 
for selling it at half price ; our climate being so favor- 
able for it the California silk is bound to be a superior 
article, and consequently will command the highest 
market price." 



CHAPTER II. 

SILK IN CALIFORNIA. 

It is my intention, in about two years, to write the 
History of Silk in California ; as I have been raising it 
here for six years, and am consequently acquainted 
with all the incidents of its introduction and culture into 
this State. I have many interesting documents, letters, 
etc., to publish, all of which will show how I have been 
discouraged at the start, instead of being encouraged, 



SILK grower's manual. 151 

as should have been the case in such an important 
culture. But all this had no influence on me. I had such 
a firm confidence in our beautiful silk climate, that I 
did not take any notice of all that, and still persisted. 
And more, (I must confess it to you in secret) I could 
not help having a certain contempt for all those that 
had objections to it, as it appeared to me like refusing 
to acknowledge that it is daylight at noon. 

As it will require a large volume for the history of 
Silk in California, I do not intend to put it here ; but 
I think that I must say a few words about it, being as 
brief as possible. 

After I had spent the first summer here, in 1850, 
I judged that it was a silk climate, and took occasion to 
speak about it to different persons. In the fall of 1852, 
I had a long conversation on that subject, for the whole 
evening, with Henry Hentsch, Esq., of San Francisco. 
He was, and had been, also of the same opinion ; but 
there were no mulberry trees to be found in the State 
to try that culture. It was then agreed that Mr. 
Hentsch should import the seed from France. When 
they came, in 1854, I sowed them, and they grew out 
finely. After the trees were of sufficient size, I told 
Mr. Hentsch that it would be good now to import silk- 
worms' eggs. He procured some from China ; but the 
eggs were bad, or had been spoiled on the voyage ; none 
of that first importation hatched. The year after, *>\m> 
more were procured, with the same result. For the 
third time, Mr. Hentsch ordered some more, again from 
China, and at the same time ordered some from Prance. 



152 THE CALIFORNIA 

They all arrived here early in the spring of 1860. 
When they arrived I showed them to a friend, Mr. 
Jacob Muller, a competent silk-grower ; he thought 
that the eggs were good, at least some of them. It 
proved afterwards that the Chinese were not very good, 
as one or two dozen only hatched ; but the lot from 
France hatched out finely. My friend Mr. Muller 
helping to get this lot of worms through, they produced 
fine and superior cocoons. Samples of these I forwarded 
to France, and they were found to be of first quality. 

The same year (1860) I sent cocoons, bouquets of 
cocoons and real silk, to all our Fairs, all over our silk 
State ; but the officers of the different societies at that 
time did not understand their duty, and the importance 
of that rich culture, as they were giving silver goblets, 
etc., (as their lists of premiums show) to things that 
could not advance the interests of the State one dime, 
and did not even give a diploma to the first California 
silk, with the exception of one, the San Joaquin Valley 
Agricultural Society, which had the honor of giving a 
diploma to the first silk producer in California. 

Since 1860 I have always raised the silk, but never 
observed any disease among the worms, notwithstanding 
that I have raised them in bad places, not being able 
to have any thing better. I have changed the mode of 
feeding so as to curtail the work. This will be described 
hereafter, at its proper place. 

In 1865 I raised about one hundred and five thousand 
worms, and consequently the same amount of cocoons, 
and had a great number of visitors, among whom was 



silk grower's manual. 153 

Mr. Plum, the President of the Mechanics' Institute in 
San Francisco. He urged me strongly to exhibit at 
their Fair ; but as I was not satisfied with the results of 
my first exhibitions, I did not care to do so any more. 
When their Fair was open, not seeing me coming, my 
old friend Mr. H. F. Williams, of the same Institute, 
came with two other gentlemen and persuaded me to go, 
and I made there a fine exhibition of silk, silk cocoons, 
silkworms, and silkworms' eggs ; and then for the 
first time I had the pleasure of seeing my humble efforts 
appreciated. The next day our leading papers had 
fine articles on silk ; and my exhibition attracted the 
attention of the visitors, as I had the crowd all the 
time. A gold medal has been awarded to it. At the 
request of their presidents, I went to the State Fair, 
and also to Stockton ; and at both places it created as 
much interest as in San Francisco, and gold medals 
were also given. Besides a good many plantations 
made before, since these exhibitions the silk culture has 
been fairly started. 

Last year, also, Mr. Newman, a practical weaver, 
came to see me, and from the information I gave him, 
some time after, in connection with one of his friends, 
Mr. W. W. Meyer, he went to the Eastern States to 
buy all the machinery necessary for a silk manufacture. 
He came back this year, in July, with the machinery. 
Two looms have* been put up in San Francisco, and the 
first pieces of silk manufactured in California were 
ready in time to be exhibited at our Fairs in September 
last. Now, with some inducements on the pari of our 



154 THE CALIFORNIA 

citizens here in San Jose, we have succeeded in having 
that Pioneer Silk Manufacture located here. They 
are progressing rapidly, and already a large frame 
building is erected, where they are busy unpacking, 
cleaning and fixing the machinery. They are now also 
busy at the main building for the manufactory. It is 
a brick building, forty-five by eighty, and is to be two 
stories high. 

I have this year again exhibited reeled silk and silk 
cocoons from different varieties, and also good samples 
of cocoons, raised in different parts of the State, by 
different persons, who never had silkworms in their 
hands before, and who had all succeeded. This is con- 
clusive proof of the superiority of our climate for silk 
culture, because those who have never done it before 
are liable to make many mistakes. But no matter 
here ; the worms make their cocoons anyhow ; and now, 
with the Manual, everybody will be enabled to under- 
take the culture of silk with full success. 

Then let us begin it in taking first the mulberry tree, 
which is the foundation of that rich culture. 



silk grower's manual. 155 

CHAPTER III. 

HISTORY OF SILK — ITS ANTIQUITY AND COMMERCE. 

Silk, or the splendid material produced by the silk- 
worm, was first known in ancient times as ser or serica, 
in China. It was there first discovered in its own 
native forests of the mulberry trees. In that country 
it was called se, and by transition, ser by the Greeks, 
and sericum by the Romans ; and hence, by the different 
nations of Italy, France and England, it is variously 
called seta, soie, and silk, at the present day. 

The silkworm, or bombyx mori, is a precious insect, 
which is thus denominated from moms, the plant on 
which it feeds. 

The cultivation of silk commenced in China seven 
hundred years before Abraham, and two thousand seven 
hundred years before Christ. The Emperor Houng Ti, 
" The Emperor of the Earth," who reigned over China 
more than one hundred years, taught the Chinese to 
construct houses, ships, mills and other useful works ; 
and the Empress Si Ling Chi, to contribute also to the 
welfare of the Empire, aided by the women of her 
household, gathered the silkworms from the trees, 
took them to her apartments, fed them with leaves of 
the mulberry, and, being sheltered, they yielded silk 
superior in quality to that produced in the forests. She 
also taught them its manufacture, and how to embroider, 

Raising silk, and its manufacture, and the weaving, 



156 THE CALIFORNIA 

continued to be the principal occupations of the suc- 
ceeding Empresses. Apartments were appropriated 
to this purpose in the imperial palace ; and soon, from 
the highest rank of females, it became the occupation of 
all ranks in China; and ere long the Emperor, the 
learned class, the Princes, the Mandarins, courtiers and 
all the rich were attired in the splendid fabrics of silk, 
until finally silk became the great and inexhaustible 
source of the wealth of China. From China it was 
exported to India, Persia, Arabia and the whole of 
Asia. 

The expeditions of Alexander to Persia and India 
first introduced the knowledge of silk to the Grecians, 
three hundred and fifty years before Christ ; and with 
the increase of wealth and luxury in the Grecian Court, 
the demand for silk prodigiously augmented. Persia 
also became rich in the commerce of silk, which they 
procured from China. The ancient Phoenicians also 
engaged in the traffic of silk, and finally carried it to the 
east of Eurooe. 

At Rome, and so late as a.d. 280, a silk attire of 
purple was accounted by an Emperor as a luxury too 
expensive even for an Empress ; its value being equal 
to that of gold by weight. 

In the sixth century two monks arrived at the Court 
of the Emperor Justinian, at Constantinople, from a mis- 
sionary expedition to China. They had brought with 
them the seeds of the mulberry, and communicated to 
him the discovery of the mode of rearing the silkworms ; 
and although the exportation of the insect from China 



silk grower's manual. 157 

was forbidden on pain of death, yet by the liberal 
promises and persuasions of Justinian, they undertook a 
new expedition, and at length returned through Bukaria 
and Persia to Constantinople, in 555, with the eggs of 
the precious insect concealed in the hollow of their 
canes or pilgrims' staves, which they had obtained in 
the far and still more distant country. Until this time 
the extensive manufactures of the Phoenician cities of 
Tyre and Berytus had received their supplies of raw 
silk through Persia from China. Even to the days of 
Justinian, according to ancient historians, no person at 
Constantinople knew that silk was the product of an 
insect. It was generally supposed to be produced from 
the bark or leaves of trees, or growing like the finest 
hair from their branches. 

In Greece, the culture and manufacture of silk soon 
overspread the country. The noblest families aided by 
their example. The people of Thebes and Athens, from 
the time of Justinian, cultivated and manufactured silk 
for four hundred years ; and the Venetians, in the 
height of their prosperity and commercial glory, carried 
supplies of silk from Greece to the whole West of Eu- 
rope. On~the downfall of the Roman empire, Arabia 
became the seat and center of sciences, of arts and 
civilization. The establishment of the Turkish power 
in Asia, about the middle of the sixth century, and the 
subsequent wars, caused great interruption to the cara- 
van trade between China and Persia ; and after the 
conquest of Mahommed II., the Saracens or Arabians 
planted the mulberry and encouraged the culture "I' 



158 THE CALIFORNIA 

silk everywhere throughout their dominions, both on the 
islands and on all the shores of the Mediterranean ; silk 
and mulberry trees were introduced into Spain and 
Portugal by the Arabians, on their conquest of those 
countries, in 711. 

From Greece, the cultivation of silk was introduced 
to Sicily and Naples. Roger, king of Sicily, in his 
invasion of Greece, in 1146, introduced, by compulsion, 
many silk weavers and manufacturers, whom he carried 
to Palermo. In twenty years the manufactures of Si- 
cily became famous, being adorned with various colors 
and figures, interwoven with gold and embellished with 
pearls. Here it long mysteriously remained ; and it 
was not till 1540 that it had extended to Piedmont, and 
indeed to all Italy. So extensive is its cultivation at 
the present day throughout Italy, that, according to 
Count Dandolo, two-thirds of their whole exports to all 
countries consist of silk. 

Its first introduction into France was in 1494 ; but no 
very important results succeeded until, in 1564, Trau- 
cat, a gardener of Nismes, established the first founda- 
tion of a nursery of white mulberry trees, with an effect 
so successful, that from this source the cultivation ex- 
tended within a few years, over the whole of the south- 
ern provinces of France ; but its final, and more com- 
plete establishment in France, in 1603, is due to Henry 
IV., who encouraged the formation of nurseries and the 
manufacture of silk, even in the northern as well as 
middle provinces of the kingdom, and whose name is 
held in perpetual remembrance, for his noble deeds of 



159 

goodness, and works of usefulness. Olivier de Serres 
shares equally with him the glory of the effectual work, 
which was, at first, opposed even by Sully, from mis- 
take and misapprehension. Colbert, in a succeeding 
age, continued his fostering care. Both Colbert and his 
illustrious predecessor, by bounties judiciously bestowed, 
caused both the mulberry tree and its culture to strike 
deep and permanent roots in the soil of France. 

Once established, it has stood, unmoved by every rev- 
olution and storm, unprotected and alone, while all 
things else have fallen. This important industry has 
flourished until, finally, silk and its manufacture has be- 
come one of the most productive resources of the wealth 
and power of France. 

It was estimated, that in the year 1835, silk from 
France, to the amount of fifty millions of francs, was 
exported from that country to the United States alone. 
Yet, in France, although they raise so much silk, they 
still import annually to the amount of seventy millions 
of francs of raw silk, or nearly one-third of all they con- 
sume in their manufactures. 

In England, the climate, from its humidity, or other 
causes, is found to be unfitted to its growth. For this 
reason alone, the trials to raise it there have failed. 
Yet, from 1821 to 1828, according to an authentic 
work on the silk trade, they imported of raw silk, 24,- 
157,658 pounds, worth 1120,787,580 ; of this amount 
$59,881,283 came from Italy alone. 

The sudden and extraordinary extension of the silk 
manufactures, both in France and in England, has been 



160 THE CALIFORNIA 

mainly ascribed to the machine invented in France, by 
Mr. Jacquard ; then the powerful impulse thus given 
has been assigned to the Jacquard loom. This loom is 
stated to perform all those labors which had heretofore 
been confined to the most skillful hands, with important 
economy of time and labor in the preliminary steps ; 
and is so decidedly superior to all other looms for all 
the curious varieties of figured silk weaving, that it has 
superseded them all throughout France and England. 

Yet, in our own country, so highly favored in all re- 
spects by nature, the successful introduction of the silk 
culture is mainly due to individual exertion ; but the day 
is not far distant, when the cultivation of the mulberry 
and the growth and manufacture of silk in the United 
States will become a very important source of wealth to 
the nation. The work has wonderfully begun, and is 
now taking deep and permanent root in our soil. 

According to the report of the Secretary of the 
Treasury, the value of silk imported into the United 
States during the year ending the thirtieth of Septem- 
ber, 1835, amounted to $16,597,980, this being the 
original or first cost in the foreign countries (this must 
be more than double that amount now). During that 
year only $486,562 worth of this great amount was ex- 
ported ; most of it was imported from Italy, Switzerland 
and France. 

The millions that we are now expending for importing 
silk ought to be preserved in the country. It would be 
a good policy to take steps in view of retaining such a 
vast amount, by every means that the Government has 



silk grower's manual. 161 

in its power. Such amounts would soon pay our na- 
tional debt ; it should certainly he a good policy to take 
off duties from things needed by the poor classes, and 
have very Idgli duties on the imported article manufac- 
tured. I am in hope that our Congressmen will under- 
stand their duty, which is to have in view the prosperity 
of the country, by placing a very high tariff on the 
manufactured silk of importation. This will injure no- 
body, but enrich the country, as the effect will be to 
start the culture and manufacture of silk everywhere in 
the United States where the climate is favorable. In 
California alone we can raise silk, not only to supply the 
whole wants of the nation, but for the rest of the world. 



CHAPTER IV. 

HISTORY OF THE SILKWORM. 

The silkworm, or Bomhyx Mori, is a caterpillar, its 
body formed of twelve membranous rings, which sup- 
port the legs, which are sixteen in number, and in pairs. 
Six of these are in front and inflexible, and situated 
beneath the first rings, and are each covered with a 
scale. The other ten are flexible and membranous, 
having their positions beneath the remaining ring ; these 
are called climbers and holders, and are provided with 
sharp hooks or claws, to aid in climbing. The head has 
a horny covering like a scale, the jaws are very strong, 



162 THE CALIFORNIA 

the teeth, sharp, serrated, or indented like a saw, the 
mouth is vertical and peculiar, and not horizontal, as in 
most other beings. Two broad objects in its forehead, 
which might be mistaken for eyes, are but bones of the 
skull. The eyes are small, fourteen in number, seven on 
each side of the head, and near the mouth ; the organs 
of respiration are eighteen in number. Equidistant, 
and situated along the body, are holes, or openings, nine 
on each side, which serve for breathing. 

The substance of which the silk is composed is a 
liquid, transparent gum, of a fine yellow color, and is 
contained in separate sacks of slender dimensions. Each 
of these vessels is about ten inches in length, and wound 
in the stomach in spiral folds. Near the jaws, two 
ducts convey the silken fluid ; these, uniting in one, 
serve to compose the silken thread, which is usually 
from four hundred to twelve hundred feet in length. 

The eggs of the silkworms are of a dark lilac or slate 
color. The silkworms are at first black, and extremely 
small ; as they advance in age and size they cast off 
their outer covering or skin, usually from three to four 
times, at different periods, according to the variety. 
These successive changes are called moultings, and the 
times intervening are termed ages. 

In a colder temperature the duration of the several 
periods is prolonged ; but in a warm climate, the period 
or season of the first moulting, which terminates the first 
age, usually occurs on the fifth or sixth day of its ex- 
istence ; the second on the eighth or ninth day ; the 



silk grower's manual. 163 

third on the thirteenth or fourteenth day, and the last 
on or about the twenty-second clay. 

At each of these critical periods the silkworm remains 
in a torpid state, eating little, or absolutely nothing, for 
a day or more. At the end of about ten days from the 
last period, or in about thirty- two or thirty-four days 
from the beginning, the insect, now fully grown, is about 
three or four inches in length, transparent, of a yellow- 
ish white or pearl color. Having now completed their 
fifth, or last age, they eat no more, but ascend to the 
leaves or brushwood which are placed for the purpose, 
and commence the formation of their cocoons, and in 
the construction of these the insects work busily and 
incessantly, night and day, during about four clays. This 
labor finished, the insect in the center becomes trans- 
formed to the chrysalis state. 

The vitual functions of the silkworm are accelerated 
by warmth, and the time occupied in passing through 
the various mutations is hastened, not only by the in- 
creased temperature, but materially by the degree of 
attention which is bestowed on the insects. In Madras, 
according to Dr. Anderson, and where the climate is 
very warm, the silkworm passes through all its evolu- 
tions in twenty-two days ; here there is a saving of time 
as well as of labor, but none in regard to food, as it is 
admitted the silkworms consume the same amount of 
cocoons, be the term of their life of a longer or shorter 
duration. 

The cocoon is usually from an inch to an inch and a 
half in length, of an oval form, the color yellow or 



164 THE CALIFORNIA 

straw, or pure white, according to the variety. The 
outer covering is like the finest wool, and is called floss. 
It is easily detached, and being removed, the end of a 
thread is discovered, of extreme fineness. 

After an interval of from fifteen to twenty days' 
repose, the moth ejects from its mouth a liquor which 
moistens the gum, and dissolves the adhesiveness of 
the texture of the ball ; and by frequent motions of its 
head, it loosens and forces aside the filaments, without 
sundering a single silken thread, until it reappears, 
transformed to a large butterfly, of a greenish white 
color, with four wings ; two eyes, and two black feathery 
horns or plumes ; unshrouded in this its last and perfect 
form. Both male and female, they come forth to the 
light of the day, and take no food to the day of their 
death. 

The butterflies generally come out of their cocoons 
between seven and nine o'clock in the morning. At 
that time they have to be paired, and in the afternoon 
at about five o'clock, they should be separated. In 
all cases, they must be handled by the wings, with 
care, so as not to hurt them. As soon as separated from 
the male, the female begins to lay the eggs. Each 
female is supposed to lay about three hundred, and 
sometimes more. These eggs firmly adhere to the 
paper on which they are ; and are arranged in a hand- 
some and circular form. In a few days after its multi- 
farious labors are ended, the insect dies. 

The silkworms remain in a chrysalis state a length of 
time corresponding with the temperature of the climate. 



silk grower's manual. 165 

In England they remain thirty clays ; in France, twenty- 
one ; in Spain and Italy, eighteen or twenty ; in our 
Middle States, about the same ; in California, twelve to 
fourteen ; and in India, but eleven days. 

The silkworm, like other caterpillars, is a cold-blooded 
insect ; its * temperature is that of the atmosphere in 
which it breathes. Sudden changes from cold to heat 
are very injurious, yet it has been found that the silk- 
worm is capable of enduring a great degree of heat. 
I have remarked them to be very lively when my ther- 
mometer was from eighty to one hundred, and some 
days as high as one hundred and seven. This heat 
ought to have been maintained as uniformly as possible, 
yet it was impossible in my garret. Such a degree 
they must have sometimes endured in their native 
forests. But when they need more heat, it is at the 
moment of making their cocoons. If at any time while 
they are performing this most important labor they are 
permitted to suffer from cold, they cease from their 
labors, and remain inactive, or move but slowly, as may 
be discovered while the cocoons are yet transparent. 
It has been proved, on dissection of the silkworms which 
thus suffer and become torpid through cold, that the 
glutinous matter in their silk reservoirs had become so 
congealed and tenacious from cold, as to resemble 
strong tendons, which sufficiently accounted for the 
inability of the insect to draw forth the silken filament ; 
yet no sooner is the temperature increased, than they 
will resume their labors with increased activity ; but 
will again desist, if exposed again to cold. If ncg- 



166 THE CALIFORNIA 

lectecl at this critical period, they assume in due time 
the chrysalis form, but for want of sufficient strength 
leave incomplete their silken tomb. 

Many persons have erroneously imagined that light 
is injurious to the silkworm ; but the very reverse of a 
belief so contrary to nature, is evidently true. In its 
native state, it is of course habituated to the most per- 
fect light ; indeed, a due proportion of the reviving 
light of day has been found essentially necessary to its 
perfect health. In the perfect light of day, when the 
sun shines, the leaves of the mulberry and other trees 
inhale vital air, or that pure, etherial substance, which 
by being inhaled, gives life and heat to the animal sys- 
tem ; while in the darkness, they evolve mephitic air, 
which is destructive and incapable of affording nourish- 
ment. 

Although the silkworm will endure a great degree of 
heat, yet when this heat is combined with excessive 
moisture, the effect appears to be at least as deleterious 
to the insect as mephitic air. If a silkworm be con- 
fined in a close vessel, surcharged with moisture and 
heated to eighty-eight or ninety degrees, it will soon 
reject food and show strong symptoms of distress ; 
the muscles will soften, and evaporation will become 
obstructed ; the power of contraction, which resides in 
the skin, and which governs the secretions, which are 
indispensably necessary to its existence, will cease, and 
it will shortly perish ; while a warm-blooded animal, if 
sufficiently supplied with pure atmospheric air, will 
endure an equal degree of heat, combined with an 



silk grower's manual. 1.67 

equal degree of moisture with but little inconvenience. 

But if a silkworm be introduced into a jar charged 
with carbonic acid gas, which would cause a bird or 
any other warm-blooded animal to die instantly, although 
the worm will soon exhibit signs of suffering, yet it will 
live from ten to twenty minutes ; and on being with- 
drawn from the receiver, in due time it will exhibit no 
signs of injury, but be apparently as healthy as before. 

Some have supposed that noise disconcerts them ; 
but this appears to be a mistake, or at least not suffi- 
ciently proved : on the contrary, the experiments of 
the Abbe Rosier, in France, tend to show that it does 
not trouble them at all. 



CHAPTER V. 

THE MULBERRY — (Moms}. 

The Mulberry, or Morus of the botanists, is a genus 
comprising many species. It derives its name from 
mor ; in Celtic, black. Its origin has been assigned to 
China, but several species have been found growing 
in the wild state in America. 

It was cultivated at a very early period of time, in 
western Asia, and in Europe ; but at first only for its 
fruit. This is a berry of a roundish and oblong form ; 
in color varying from white to red and black ; its pulp 
envelops numerous small seeds. 



168 THE CALIFORNIA 

Most of the varieties of the mulberry are esteemed 
dessert fruit. When perfectly mature, they are grate- 
ful to the taste, and very wholesome. The syrup is 
useful in mitigating inflammation of the heart ; the juice, 
when perfectly fermented, affords a pleasant vinous 
wine ; mixed with apples, it makes a delicious beverage 
called mulberry cider, of a deep red color, like port 
wine. 

The wood of the mulberry is compact, elastic, and 
hard, and susceptible of a fine polish ; it is, therefore, 
sought after by the upholsterer, the carver, and the 
turner. The strength of the timber renders it valuable 
to the joiner, and also for building boats ; its power of 
resisting the action of the water, has been compared to 
that of the oak. 

The roots of the mulberry tree are of a yellow color 
and strike downwards, and the tree is extremely long- 
lived. Mr. De Saint Fond saw, in 1802, one of the 
original or parent trees of all the white mulberry trees 
of France, which the followers of Charles VIII had 
brought from Italy, on his invasion of that country in 
1494. Mr. Lachaux has caused this tree to be encom- 
passed by a wall, to evince his respect and veneration, 
and to serve as a monument to a tree so inestimable. 

Whoever would enter extensively and at once on the 
cultivation of silk, let him first of all bestow his atten- 
tion on the culture of the abundant supplies of food ; 
this principal and essential food being no other than the 
material leaves of the various species of the mulberry 
tree. Not every kind, however, is equally suitable. 



silk grower's manual. 169 

Linnaeus has enumerated seven species of those which 
were known in his day ; and among these there are 
two species, the Tinctoria and Indica, which are not 
used as the food of the silkworm. Those most esteemed 
and known are the Morus Alba^ or white mulberry, the 
Moms Multicaulis or Chinese mulberry and the Moms 
Moretti. I will, then, describe only these three varie- 
ties, as being the best. 

The nourishment which is contained in the mulberry 
leaf is not completely developed till the leaf is fully 
grown. According to the analysis of Count Dandolo, the 
leaf contains : 1st, the fibrous substance ; 2d, the color- 
ing matter ; 3d, water ; 4th, the saccharine substance ; 
5th, the resinous substance. The saccharine substance 
is that which nourishes the insect, augmenting its 
growth and size; the resinous, that which "separating 
itself gradually from the leaf, and attracted by the ani- 
mal organization, accumulates, cleans itself, and insensi- 
bly fills the two reservoirs or silk vessels." The propor- 
tion of this nutriment depends upon the variety of the 
mulberry, the age, the soil, and the moisture or dryness 
of the season. Now, I will describe the three best 
varieties of mulberry trees for silk raising. 

First, Morus Multicaulis, or Chinese mulberry, 
or also many-stalked mulberry. The tree grows 
vigorous, upright, and beautiful ; the leaves, large, 
soft, and tender, are petiolate, cordate, accumissate, 
serrated towards the summit, marked with nerves, 
always entire. Their upper surface is convex or 
curled, of a deep and beautiful shining green. The 



170 THE CALIFORNIA 

form and dimensions of the leaf vary in different soils ; 
in a dry and arid soil, they are of a diminished size ; 
their form elliptical, and without the heart-shaped indent- 
ation at the base ; their breadth being six inches, and 
their length eight ; but in a light, rich, and friable soil, 
the produce of the foliage is most abundant ; the leaves 
large and cordiform, measuring often more than a foot 
in breadth and fifteen inches in length. 

That variety is sometimes called the Perrotet Mul- 
berry, in honor of Mr. Perrotet, agricultural botanist 
and traveler of the marine and colonies of France, who 
has introduced this plant into Europe. Mr. Perrotet 
has been sent out by the Government of France on a 
voyage of botanical research, a national ship having 
been provided especially for his use. This tree was 
first discovered by him at Manila, the capital of the 
Philippine Islands, whither it had been brought by the 
Chinese from China, as a tree of ornament as well as of 
usefulness. The Chinese are justly entitled to the credit 
of its introduction hither. From Manila the morus 
multicaulis was first introduced by Mr. Perrotet to the 
Isle of Bourbon, and from thence into Cayenne ; and, 
finally, it was brought by him to France in 1821. 

The morus multicaulis differs from all others in the 
uncommon vigor of its growth, and the property which 
the roots possess of throwing up numerous flexible stalks, 
the great length which these stalks acquire in a short 
space of time, and the facility with which it is propa- 
gated from layers and cuttings ; also from the remark- 
able size which the thin, soft, and tender leaves speedily 



MANUAL. 171 

acquire, and the promptitude with which they are re- 
newed. 

The fruit is long, black, and of good flavor. This 
mulberry should be cultivated low in rows, and never 
suffered to rise high. A few years will be sufficient to 
raise considerable fields of it in full vigor in California, 
sufficient to support an immense quantity of silkworms. 

Second, Morus Alba, or white mulberry, a native of 
China, but for centuries naturalized in Italy, and there- 
fore also called the Italica. This tree is of rapid 
growth, and extensively known for the uses of its leaf 
as the food of silkworms. The leaves are pointed, cor- 
date, serrate, entire, or lobed, but vary in the different 
sub-varieties, sometimes even in the same tree, in dif- 
ferent ages, being at times lobed, when young, but when 
old, entire ; and very often they are entire and lobed on 
the same tree at the same time. 

The bark of the wood is of an ash color. The fruit 
is white, roundish, oblong, of an insipid taste. The tree, 
as before noted, is valuable for its timber, and exceed- 
ingly long-lived. In cold climates it grows slowly, yet 
its growth is more rapid, and it comes into leaf earlier 
than the morus nigra, and is not, like that variety, in- 
commoded by a profusion of fruit ; and although the 
black mulberry is preferred in Persia, Count Dandolo 
affirms that the white mulberry was found to produce 
the finest silk of the kind known in Italy. It is also af- 
firmed, that if the leaves of this species, and those of the 
rubra and nigra, be presented to the insect at the same 
time, it will eat first the white, next of the red, and last 



172 THE CALIFORNIA 

of all, the black. In Malta, the- white mulberry grows 
much more rapidly than in Italy ; but, in India, where 
the mulberry tree is an evergreen, its growth is so rapid 
that large quantities are sown and mown in the same 
season, and from these, sprouts are again produced for 
a second brood of silkworms. Varieties are known in 
silk countries which are produced from the white mul- 
berry, and are only to be extended by layers or cut- 
tings. 

The bark, according to Rosier, may be concerted into 
linen of the fineness of silk. For this purpose, the young 
wood is gathered in autumn, during the ascent of the 
second sap, and immersed for three or four days in still 
water ; it is then taken out at sunset, spread on the 
grass, and returned to the water at sunrise ; and this 
being daily repeated, it is finally prepared and spun like 
flax. 

By a letter that I have received lately from one of 
the great silk growers in France, I see that the white 
mulberry continues to have the preference over all other 
varieties, and is now extensively cultivated there. 

Third, Morus Moretti. This new and valuable variety 
of mulberry was first discovered about the year 1815, 
by Mr. Moretti, Professor in the University of Pavia ; 
and from a single young tree, he had, in 1826, multi- 
plied them to 120,000. The leaf is ovate, sharp pointed, 
entire, cordate at the base ; it is thin, smooth on the 
under and especially on the upper surface, which is of 
a beautiful and rather deep shining green ; it is not so 
thick as that of the large white mulberry, called, in 



silk grower's manual. 173 

France, the admirable, and it is thinner than those of 
the Spanish mulberry, moras nigra. It is neither 
wrinkled nor plaited, is, in general, ten inches wide and 
twelve inches long. The fruit, which is at the first vio- 
let, becomes at maturity perfectly black, but is some- 
times white. This mulberry will be most profitably cul- 
tivated in the form of a hedge, and from the remarka- 
ble size of its leaves they are gathered with the greatest 
facility. Their superior quality has been proved by the 
experiments of Mr. Gera and Count Dandolo, who assert 
that " they produce silk of a more beautiful gloss and 
finer quality than common silk." 

It is well established that the morns alba is the vari- 
ety cultivated for silk nearly everywhere, and is gener- 
ally considered as producing the best silk ; but after my 
own observation, my opinion is that the moretti will be 
the very best variety for California, for many reasons. 
First, I remarked it to be a very vigorous and strong 
grower, wherever I have met it in the State ; it is also 
more hardy than others. Second, as it is an improved 
variety of the alba, it is very easy to understand why it 
produces silk of a superior gloss. Third, because one 
of its large, thick, substantial leaves contains as much 
food as a half dozen of the others, and, consequently, 
the whole tree produces more in proportion. Fourth, 
the thickness of its leaves is the cause that they do not 
wilt so fast, and keep fresh a longer time, and they af- 
ford the worms plenty of time to eat the whole. This 
last point ought to be taken into consideration under the 
influence of our dry atmosphere. All the above quali- 



174 THE CALIFORNIA 

ties of that fine variety will certainly be appreciated by 
our silk growers, and I should not be surprised to see 
it, in a short time, very extensively cultivated through- 
out California. 

This, and the alba, and also the multicaulis, are the 
principal varieties that we should cultivate for silk in 
California, because it is fully demonstrated and known 
that they produce the best quality of silk ; and, besides 
that important point, there is another. We are satisfied 
that these three varieties thrive most luxuriantly in our 
silk State, as I have been able to ascertain in different 
parts of the State, in my travelings for the silk cause. 



CHAPTER VI. 

THE SOIL. 

Without fear of being contradicted, I think that I 
can say here, that in California we possess, not only one 
of the best, but the very best soil for the mulberry tree. 
For my part, I never before saw mulberry trees with 
such a growth as they have in California. In regard 
. to soil, in one of my letters to the " California Farmer " 
I wrote thus : 

" To all who are about to start in that rich industry 
I desire to say for their benefit, that the most important 
point to begin with, is the selection of the soil for the 
mulberry. It is a fact, that it grows almost anywhere 



silk grower's manual. 175 

in California, but, more or less, a deep, . rich, light, 
loamy soil is needed. In such a soil, we can obtain as 
much food from one acre as from two or three of other 
soils. In that mulberry soil, trees seven years old 
measure from two to three feet in circumference ; shoots 
one year old are from ten to twelve feet long, and we 
have any amount in all the valleys of California. I 
have remarked a great quantity of it in our beautiful 
and healthy valley of San Jose, but have observed it 
more generally in the Sacramento Valley. We can say 
that we have hundreds of thousands of acres of such 
soil in California. The quantity of silk that we can pro- 
duce is incalculable ; we could supply the whole world 
with the article." 

But I do not mean by the above to impress on any- 
body that valley land is alone suitable for the mulberry, 
as I have observed along our foothills, and even on the 
hills, very fine mulberry soil ; and I w r ould also recom- 
mend to those who have plantations there, to select al- 
ways the soil, and give it a deep plowing, and plant 
early. 

In Europe, it is on the hills that they generally ob- 
tain their best silk, but they have rain there often, which 
stimulates the growth of their mulberry trees planted in 
the mountains ; and it is very easy to understand why 
the silk from the mountains is better than that produced 
in the valleys. But by doing, in regard to mountain 
soil, as I have said before, I have no doubt that we will 
succeed, and I will earnestly recommend it to be tried. 
In case of success, we shall certainly obtain there a very 



176 THE CALIFORNIA 

superior article. Sunny exposures on the declivities of 
hills must be preferred ; those especially which slope to 
the south and east are the most favorable. 

The cocoons of mountainous countries are deemed 
superior to those of the plains ; although not so large, 
they are usually of a whiter color. Trees planted in 
the hills are neither exposed to suffer from the early and 
later frosts, nor are the leaves liable to become spotted 
or diseased from mildew. 

One of the principal things we must have in view to 
succeed well, is the preparation of the soil in which to 
plant our trees. The soil, before planting, must be 
thoroughly and deeply cultivated, because the roots of 
the mulberry tree strike downward, and consequently 
need a deep plowing. 

But, in regard to the preparation of the soil in Cali- 
fornia, there is nothing better than the admirable ad- 
dress of G. N. Sweezey, Esq., delivered before the 
Northern District Agricultural Society at Marysville, on 
the 4th of September last. I cut from the " California 
Farmer " the following paragraph : 

" Having built my house and out buildings and done 
my fencing, or before, if not prepared to fence, I would 
in the month of March or first of April, with suitable 
teams, proceed to fallow the lands I designed for my 
orchard, vineyard, shade trees, grain, and pastures, at 
least so much as I could conveniently put in the fol- 
lowing fall and spring. In ploughing these lands for fal- 
lows I should run the plough to the beam of subsoil, 
which would be the best. The deeper these lands are 



177 

ploughed the more productive they will be, and the 
greater amount of moisture they will retain. Here, 
you will find, is the great secret in treating and culti- 
vating these dry lands. . They must be ploughed deep 
and rendered loose and friable in order to retain mois- 
ture. If allowed to harden and bake and crack, the 
evaporation passes off as does that from water poured 
upon a heap of bricks ; but if the soil is well pulverized, 
it will hold moisture like a sponge, and retard and re- 
tain the evaporation constantly passing upwards, and 
what is more, will allow the tender roots and fibers to 
permeate the soil in every direction, licking up the 
moisture, and to penetrate down to where the soil is 
damp and cool. At the same time I am ploughing my 
fallow I would procure my grapes and other cuttings, 
preparatory to rooting them for the next spring's plant- 
ing. I will have to prepare these myself, for if I pur- 
chase nursery plants as now prepared, my labor will be 
in vain, as the ground to be planted will be dry before 
they have commenced sprouting deeper down than such 
plants can be set. These plants I will make from 
twenty-four to thirty inches long, and will put them out 
in nursery rows, laying them almost horizontally in the 
soil, so that the end designed to root shall not be more 
than six inches under ground, while the other end 
protrudes not over two buds. In this way I shall ob- 
tain a long plant, when rooted, which I should not do 
if they were placed perpendicularly in any soil adapted 
for nursery purposes, as such soil is cold and wot at a 



178 THE CALIFORNIA 

small depth below, and would consequently rot the 
cuttings within six or eight inches of the surface." 

That address is a very important document, and every 
farmer ought to have it. But I only put here simply 
what concerns the preparation of the soil, as it com- 
pletely suits my views ; because mulberry trees will 
certainly do pretty well in a soil prepared as above. 

I think I have said enough to make every one under- 
stand that the soil in which you intend to plant your 
mulberry trees must be well and deeply cultivated, as 
by all I know and what I have seen, deep ploughing is 
indispensable in California, in order to retain a proper 
moisture through our dry season. It is the cheapest 
way, as it saves you the labor of irrigating, and is ten 
times preferable. 



CHAPTER VII. 

MULBERRY CULTURE. 

The mulberry tree is propagated by seeds, by cut- 
tings or slips, by layers, and in Europe also sometimes 
by grafting ; but I think that we have no need of 
grafting in California, where the mulberry is so easy to 
grow, easier even than the willow. 

First, by seeds. The seeds are obtained by washing 
the bruised pulp of thoroughly ripened fruit. The trees 
that are left for that purpose must be shaken every day ; 



SILK grower's manual. 179 

the fruit is mashed in a tub with water till thoroughly 
incorporated, and the mass, being largely diluted, is 
poured off, its place being supplied by new quantities, 
till the water comes off clear and the seed perfectly 
clean. It is then dried on cloths in the shade, and when 
perfectly dry, it is preserved and kept in a dry, cool 
place. 

Good mulberry seed will sink to the bottom after 
steeping a short time in water, and one ounce will usu- 
ally produce from eight to ten thousand plants. Pre- 
vious to sowing, the seeds should be soaked twenty- 
four hours in tepid water, then mixed with fine, moist 
sand, and exposed to a moderately warm temperature, 
and sown as soon as they commence to germinate. 
Take the mixture (seed and sand) and sow them im- 
mediately in well-prepared, fine soil, kept free from 
weeds. 

They do better in drills, and are easier to take care 
of. The rows should be from two to three feet asunder, 
and the seed planted at an average distance of about 
half an inch. Cover them but half an inch deep ; press 
the earth a little, so that it may retain sufficient moisture 
at its surface. 

The best time for sowing will vary much in California 
according to the locality ; the farmer will have to ex- 
ercise his own judgment about it, because we have 
many places where there is frost, and plenty others 
where there is none. It must be borne in mind that 
when young trees begin to spring out through the earth 
they are very tender, and the least frost would kill them. 



180 THE CALIFORNIA 

Then I would advise those that are in a locality where 
there is no frost, to sow some time in January or begin- 
ning of February, so that the young trees may be ben- 
efited by the rains ; they will then make a fine growth 
through the season. And to those who live in a locality 
subject to frost, I would say : sow in the spring when 
the frost is over ; but it will then require close attention 
to keep your rows sufficiently sprinkled till they are a 
few inches high ; but as January and February are the 
best months in which to sow the seed in order to have 
good trees through the season, it can be done in our 
frosty localities. But now that you know the danger, 
you understand very well that it is necessary to pro- 
tect the young plants coming out against the frost. 
We have such light frosts here, in this country, that 
they are only dangerous for very young seedling trees 
at the time they are coming out and very tender, be- 
cause when they are five or six inches high, the frost 
never injures the trees any more. 

When your young trees are coming out, you must 
hoe with care between the rows and weed carefully 
during summer ; thin them out where needed, and, if 
your seedlings have been well taken care of, you will 
have in the fall fine young trees that you can transplant 
where they are to grow. 

Second, by cuttings. This is the best and surest 
way to propagate the mulberry, because they are not 
subject here to be injured by frost, or hot sun, or any- 
thing else. In this way you can propagate more largely 
the best varieties of mulberry, whereas by seed you 



silk grower's manual. 181 

cannot, as they vary very much, and from twenty you 
can hardly find two that look alike. 

As to the old way of making cuttings and planting 
them, every one knows ; but in this part of the culture, 
as in all the rest, we have to work according to the 
locality we are in and the climate we are under. The 
old way of making cuttings, with one-third sticking out 
above the ground, I consider very bad under our dry 
atmosphere, to which tops are exposed. The action of 
that dry atmosphere and of our burning sun dries them 
and kills a great many, as the cutting is simply a piece 
of wood with no roots to supply it with moisture. 

For the benefit of all, I will here note the result of my 
observations on that subject. Have your cuttings about 
six or eight inches long, the tops cut near one eye or 
bud ; plant deep enough to have the top covered about 
half an inch. This is sufficient to prevent the action of 
the sun, etc., and in this w T ay you will have them all 
grow, if planted in a proper soil ; that soil I have de- 
scribed before. You must not forget that for the cut- 
tings also the soil must be well prepared. 

Now, at the beginning of the silk culture, what do 
we need ? Plenty of mulberry trees. My new and 
simple way of planting cuttings (I may say, according 
to our climate) will greatly help to secure that result ; 
and I hope that it will give a great impulse to the mul- 
berry culture, as we can propagate it fast without any 
trouble. 

Another advantage of propagating the mulberry by 
cuttings is, that it is a stronger grower, and, conse- 



182 THE CALIFORNIA 

quently, will allow to begin to feed from them the first 
year, and thus pay for their cost. 

If you plant your cuttings in a nursery to be trans- 
planted the year after, the rows must be from three to 
four feet asunder, and the cuttings in the rows six or 
eight inches apart. But in a good mulberry soil, in 
selecting the best cuttings and planting them, as I say 
above, I think that there would be no danger to plant 
them at once where they have to grow. Yet, in what- 
ever way, you must take care of your cuttings, not allow 
the weeds to grow, pass the cultivator between the rows, 
and hoe carefully, remembering that the cuttings must 
not be touched before they have good roots, because if 
you hit them any way, you break the young and very 
tender roots and prevent them from growing. Keep 
the surface of the ground loose by working it, and it 
will retain a sufficient moisture ; but in some localities 
and soils, if it is too dry, give them water. Your care 
and attention will be well compensated by the good 
growth of your cuttings. 

Third, by layers. According to our California cul- 
ture, the trees have to be cut only a few inches from 
the ground to make them branch out more freely ; this 
will greatly favor the propagation by layers. I have 
observed that the mulberry tree is easier to grow from 
layers than many other trees ; then it does not require 
so much trouble or work for the bending of the branches. 

I would recommend simply to do thus : have your 
branches all round the trees you wish to propagate, laid 
out horizontally, covered about two inches deep, their 



silk grower's manual. 183 

extreme ends only being left out ; many branches will 
require a hook to keep them down to their places. 
After the branch is covered with fresh earth, pressed 
'down to it, the operation is done. 

The result of having young layers fixed in this man- 
ner, will be that nearly every eye will produce a tree, 
with plenty of roots, if they are in a good mulberry 
soil, and kept with sufficient moisture. I would recom- 
mend to have that operation done early, say in Febru- 
ary, although it could be done after that time. In the 
following fall you take them up, and with your prun- 
ing shears separate the trees, and you will be aston- 
ished at the quantity produced in that w r ay ; then we 
Tvill soon have enough mulberry trees to plant the State 
all over, by these different modes of propagating. 

Everything considered, it is my opinion that w r e have 
no other tree so easily propagated in California as the 
mulberry. Then we have no reason to look for any 
substitute, as it is well established and demonstrated 
that it is the very best and most natural food of the 
silkworm ; besides, the fact is also well demonstrated 
by nature, as no insect can live upon its leaves, but 
the silkworm. 



184 THE CALIFORNIA 



CHAPTER VIII. 

PLANTATION OF THE MULBERRY, ACCORDING TO OUR 
CALIFORNIA SILK CULTURE. 

Before thinking to raise any silkworms, we have first 
to plant the mulberry. I have shown before what soil 
must be selected to plant it ; and how to prepare that 
soil, and also the different modes of propagating it; 
and in this last part I add the results of my obser- 
vations in California, by which we can come in a very 
short time to have mulberry trees enough in California 
to cover the whole State. 

The mulberry tree is, of course, but little known in 
this country, so recent is the awakened interest in its 
culture ; but it will certainly prove to us a source of 
great wealth, and it should receive the attention that 
it merits. It will add another, and decidedly the great- 
est and most valuable staple to our agriculture, the 
true source of wealth to any country — a staple that 
will conduce more to the happiness and comfort of our 
whole country than any other. And I can say here, 
that there is not another staple that offers such general 
advantages, and could contribute so largely to enrich 
the country, as the culture of the mulberry tree, and 
the raising of silk. But as I have said before in some 
of my letters, everything must be cultivated in its 
proper place ; and as California has been designed by 
nature for that rich culture, let us then cultivate it all 
over the State. 



silk grower's manual. 185 

We already have our cotton States, why not have 
also our silk States ? — because any other State which 
possesses a climate similar to ours, is convenient for silk 
culture, and our simplified California silk culture 
could apply to it. But I think that it is very difficult 
to find another place so wonderful, and so particularly 
adapted for silk culture, as California. Here we seem 
to have everything in our favor — the best climate for the 
silkworms, and the very best soil to cultivate and raise 
the mulberry, which furnishes here an abundance of that 
precious and healthy food that they need ; all these ad- 
vantages, I think, cannot be surpassed in any country. 

It is the superiority of our climate that allowed me to 
simplify the work, and reduce it considerably. 

I will show at the chapter on the ivorms how and why 
that culture will have to be adopted here, under the in- 
fluence of our dry atmosphere, besides the great advan- 
tage it has of reducing the work, which is most import- 
ant. 

In other silk countries, not so well favored as Cali- 
fornia, the climate forces them to feed their worms with 
leaves only ; while here in California, I am feeding with 
branches, and the worms are doing better that way than 
when fed with leaves only, which I will demonstrate in 
its proper place. But we must have our trees planted 
in view of our California silk culture, in order to facili- 
tate the gathering of the branches. 



186 THE CALIFORNIA 



HOW TO PLANT. 

The ground being prepared, as I have said before, 
take your plants that you have grown from seeds, or 
cuttings, or layers, and plant them. Here in California, 
according to your locality and soil, I would recommend 
that the rows be from ten to twelve feet apart ; but in 
the rows I would put them double, or from five to six 
feet. Every six rows, I would make the distance be- 
tween the rows six or eight feet wider, because it is 
necessary to leave room enough to pass with your wagon 
to load your branches in ; because, if you had to run 
too far it would be a loss of time, and it is to your ad- 
vantage to plant in such a way as to render the work 
easier and quicker. 

For our California culture, it is necessary in planting 
to have your trees cut at about three or four inches 
above the level of the ground, because they must be 
kept low, so as to render the gathering of the branches 
easy ; and another advantage of keeping them very low 
is, that they produce more branches, and consequently 
more food. 

For the gathering of the branches you must have 
good pruning shears, as they are the best for that work 
to do it well and quickly. In gathering your branches, 
I wish to call your attention to a very important point, 
and that is, if you cut all the branches at the time of 
feeding, the effect will be to stop the sap, which is fur- 
nished by the roots, and ruin your trees, that, under 
such a treatment, would hardly live two years ; and you 



silk grower's manual. 187 

know now, that the mulberry tree is a long-lived tree, 
often continuing healthy several hundred years. 

But it is very easy to avoid injuring the trees, in 
gathering the branches, by proceeding thus : the first 
time, with your pruning shears, you cut only about one- 
third of the branches of your trees, removing always the 
largest branches, and cutting each time only what you 
need for your worms and no more, as they should have 
fresh food every time. 

You proceed in that manner every day, in cutting 
only about one-third ; and when you have been through 
all your trees, you come back and begin again where 
you first began, and cut again another third in the same 
manner ; and doing so, by the number of young branches 
left on your trees, the sap continues to run up, and your 
trees do not suffer from the gathering of some of their 
branches. 

Low Mulberry Tree Plantations , therefore, in their 
formation, is the mode which I shall recommend for 
general adoption in California, for the following reasons : 
First, it is necessary for our mode of feeding in Cali- 
fornia, as it renders easy the gathering of the branches. 
Second, they arrive to a state of productiveness with 
comparatively little expense of time and tillage. Third, 
sufficient sun and air are admitted to the tree to render 
the leaves of the first quality, and to enable them to put 
forth early. Fourth, the ground is more suddenly and 
completely filled and occupied than by planting stand- 
ards. Fifth, they are easier to be managed and con- 
trolled. Sixth, the produce of leaves, on the same 



188 THE CALIFORNIA 

quantity of land, is more than double, than from stand- 
ard trees in their best state, when the labor is much les- 
sened. Seventh, women and children can gather the 
food with perfect convenience from low trees, which they 
cannot so easily do at all from large trees. 

Rosier and other modern writers of France, particu- 
larly recommend this mode in preference to all others. 

John P. Cushing, Esq., of Belmont, in Watertown, a 
gentleman who has resided many years in China, has 
stated that the most approved mode of cultivating the 
mulberries, as practiced in that country, consists in 
keeping them low by annual prunings, like plantations 
of raspberries. The same mode, according to Mr. Lou- 
don, and also Mr. Bonafoux, is practiced in India. 

This system of keeping the trees low is certainly the 
best, and the only one w T e can follow with advantage for 
our California silk culture. 



CHAPTER IX. 

MULBERRY TREES EVERYWHERE. 

The mulberry tree is the best, the most useful, and, 
consequently, the most valuable of all the trees known ; 
more particularly in California, where it grows so easily 
and so rapidly. I will try to demonstrate here, and 
show how and why we ought to plant it everywhere, in 



189 

showing its merits and superiority over all the rest, by 
enumerating a few facts. 

1st. Because it is the easiest tree to propagate, and, 
as it grows so rapidly in California, it will be the cheap- 
est. 

2nd. Because most of the varieties of the mulberry 
are esteemed dessert fruits when perfectly mature. 

3rd. Because the syrup made from its fruit is very 
useful in mitigating inflammation of the throat. 

4th. Because, also, when the fermented juice of its 
fruit is mixed with apples it affords a delicious beverage 
called mulberry cider , of a deep red color like port wine. 
The black mulberry is the best variety for that purpose. 

5th. The juice of its fermented fruits produces a 
pleasant, vinous wine by itself alone. 

6th. It ought to be planted also for the value of its 
zvood, which is compact, elastic, and hard, and suscep- 
tible of a fine polish ; it is therefore very useful to the 
upholsterer, the carver, and the turner. 

7th. The great strength of the timber renders it very 
valuable for the joiners generally. 

8th. The quality of its timber makes it also very valu- 
able for the building of boats, its power of resisting the 
action of the water being equal to oak. 

9th. One, also, of its merits is, that the tree is long- 
lived : it is fully demonstrated that it lives several hun- 
dred years. 

10th. Its bark can be converted into linen of the fine- 
ness of silk. I have in hand some of that kind of silk, 



190 THE CALIFORNIA 

produced from the bark ; it looks as fine, and as good 
and strong as the floss silk from the cocoons. 

11th. It is very valuable for feeding milch cows. 
Every one has seen in our principal papers, under the 
heading of mulberry for for 'age , that " a German farmer 
of Ohio, during the late season of drought, cut down a 
number of black mulberry trees for his cows, and was 
surprised to find that they gave more and richer milk 
than when fed on grass ; the butter had a peculiarly 
pleasant flavor. In California this fact may be of great 
value ; the tree, by growing deep into the earth, reaches 
more moisture, and can resist drought better than grass, 
and the dairyman would thus be enabled to provide 
green forage the year round, even from dry soil." Many 
farmers Avere ruined by the loss of their cattle, not long 
ago, when we had been two years without rain, and then 
if we had mulberry trees planted everywhere, we could 
have saved those thousands of thousands of cattle that 
perished from hunger. Let us begin, then, to plant 
everywhere, and such a calamity will never occur again. 

12th. As an ornamental tree it ought to be planted 
everywhere, because there is none that can be compared 
to it. We are planting in California a great quantity of 
ugly and common trees, that are good for nothing, and 
that are called ornamental trees, when they really orna- 
ment nothing at all, and which are certainly very far 
from being as fine looking and ornamental as the mul- 
berry tree. Some of these common trees, instead of 
being ornamental, I consider a real and regular nui- 
sance. Such is the cotlonwood tree, that we find planted 



SILK GROWER 3 MANUAL. 191 

in many of our cities to ornament their streets, and, in- 
stead of that, renders them dirty, and everything in 
their neighborhood. Then it would be certainly hun- 
dreds of times better to cut down immediately all these 
dirty trees, and plant mulberry trees in their place, and 
then only, we will have fine-looking, ornamental, and 
clean trees to look at ; as on the others, myriads of in- 
sects live upon their leaves, while with the mulberry tree, 
no insect can live upon its leaves but the silkworm. 

13th. As the mulberry produces also a quantity of fruit 
that the birds are fond of, this is another reason why 
they should be planted everywhere, around the gardens, 
farms, and particularly orchards, as a 'protection to other 
fruits. The damage done by birds to fruits generally, 
and particularly to cherries, is well known by all. This 
damage will be greatly reduced, because the quantity 
of fruit they eat from the mulberry they will not have to 
eat elsewhere. 

14th. Another reason again, why all the farmers 
ought to plant it everywhere around their premises is, 
as I have said before, because the trees produce a large 
quantity of fruit, that keeps falling off the trees for a 
long time. The hens and other fowls generally like it, 
and devour it, and it is considered a good and whole- 
some food for them, and the same for other animals about 
the farm ; in fact, their fruit is perfectly wholesome in 
every respect. This point ought to be taken into con- 
sideration by our farmers, and make them understand 
that it is for their interests to quit planting trees that 
are good for nothing. 



102 THE CALIFORNIA 

15th. Even one of the above facts is enough to prove 
that it is a useful tree ; but all these facts together are 
more than sufficient to persuade any reasoning person 
that the mulberry tree ought to be planted everywhere 
in California : but it is not all, and we come now to the 
most important point. Besides the above facts in its 
favor, it is the tree that produces that wholesome food 
for the insect that produces the silk, which is the finest 
and richest of all fabrics, and which has made so many 
countries rich ; and as California is found to be so favor- 
able to that culture, we will certainly be the first and 
most important silk State of the Union. 

Now, I have said, at the beginning of that chapter, 
that the mulberry tree is the best, the most useful and 
valuable of all the trees known. I am in hope that all 
my readers will now agree with me that it is the truth, 
as I think it would be very difficult to find another tree 
of such importance. 

Now, we will leave the mulberry tree for the silk- 
worms. 



CHAPTER X. 



COCOONERY, OR MAGUANERIE BUILDING, TO RAISE THE 
SILKWORMS IN. 

Since 1860 I have been raising silk in California, but 
never had the means to have a cocoonery. I have been 



silk grower's manual. 193 

obliged to raise the first silk in a greenhouse, having no 
other room that I could use. A greenhouse is a very 
bad place for using the worms, because there is a suffo- 
cating heat during the day, and it is very cold at night. 
I have been raising them that way for four years ; and 
since, two years in the garret of my new house, which 
is not a good place either, as I am not able to give them 
air enough there ; but, however, it is better than the 
greenhouse. In both places, I have succeeded in rais- 
ing them without any sign of disease, which shows the 
superiority of our climate, because, in many other silk 
countries, under such circumstances, they would not 
have been able to raise any. But, besides that, I have 
given worms and sent silkworms' eggs to different per- 
sons in the State, with a few verbal, and sometimes a 
few lines of instruction in a letter, and they have all 
succeeded in raising the silk ; and persons that have 
never done it before, some of them, have raised their 
silkworms in their bedroom, some in their kitchen, others 
in different rooms, or rather a shed. All this certainly 
demonstrates fully, that under our fine silk climate, silk- 
worms can be raised in any room, and almost every- 
where in California. 

IMPORTANCE OF A COCOONERY. 

For any one that wishes to make a profitable business 
of it, a good cocoonery is indispensable ; because, 
although the climate allows us here to raise silkworms 
in almost any w r ay, it is, however, well established and 
known, that the silkworms need plenty of air, room, 



194 THE CALIFORNIA 

and particularly a temperature as regular as possible. 
All these points cannot be attained without a good 
cocoonery, built with special reference to them. 

In a good cocoonery we are certain of obtaining more 
silk from the same number of cocoons, and the silk 
finer, and of superior quality, besides rendering the 
feeding of the worms easier, and consequently it can be 
done with less trouble and work. 

A good cocoonery has also the advantage of pro- 
tecting the silkworms against their natural enemies, 
which are the bird, principally, and all the poultry, 
rats, mice and ants. 

A GOOD COCOONERY IS NEEDED ON EVERY FARM. 

I wish to show and impress upon every reasoning 
person, that a good cocoonery is indispensable on every 
farm, and that such a building would be of great benefit 
to each farmer, not only for the raising of silkworms, 
but also for other products, because at the feeding 
time, which is in June and July, you have no need of 
the building to store anything in, and during all the 
balance of the year that building can be used to store 
all the grain, hay, corn, or any other products that need 
to be protected against the inclemency of the weather, 
or the depredations of cattle, squirrels, gophers, rats, 
mice, etc., etc. It is evident that for the storage of 
all this only, such a building ought to exist on every 
farm ; and the saving of the crops will certainly more 
than compensate the farmer for the erection of it, 
because they can build it small or large, according to 



silk grower's manual. 195 

the size of the farm and the business carried on, or 
intended to be. But, as it would not cost any more, 
it should be necessary to have the interior of that 
building arranged in view of using it for storage and 
silkworms, and that is very simple. Only have all the 
posts for the shelves of a regular size and length, kept 
together by means of wooden pins or screws, all also of 
the same size, or any other way that you may find 
better ; but remember that they must be arranged in 
such a way as to make it very easy to put them together 
and to take them apart. Then, after you put them up, 
when you want to feed your silkworms, and after the 
feeding and cleaning is done, in a few hours' work you 
can take the whole thing apart, and have them piled in 
one or more corners of the building, as you find it most 
convenient ; and then you have the whole room ready 
for your storage, or anything else. 

Many farmers have to pay storage for their grain ; 
but the moment they have a cocoonery, they will save 
that much, besides the other advantages. 

PLAN OF A CALIFORNIA COCOONERY. 

As our fine silk climate enabled me to simplify the 
culture of silk, and our California silk culture is different 
from that of other countries, we also need a California 
cocoonery to suit our culture, and also different from 
the others. I would then suggest or propose the annexed 
plan : 

The building is fifty feet wide by one hundred feet 
long, and is two stories high ; the walls to be brick, but 



196 THE CALIFORNIA 

hollow, according to Mr. Goodrich's patented system. 
These are my reasons for recommending hollow walls : 
First, they are nearly one-third cheaper, as only two 
bricks are needed instead of three. Second, it is more 
healthy for the worms. Third, and the principal, it 
has a more even temperature, which is exceedingly 
favorable to silkworms. It is necessary for a complete 
success that we do all we can to have in our cocoonery 
a temperature as regular as possible. 

About eight windows will be needed on each side of 
the first, and also of the second story. 

SHELVES, POSTS, ETC. 

The posts to support the shelves ought to be from 
three to four inches in diameter and eight feet apart ; 
the cross pieces to support the boards about one inch 
and a half thick by three inches wide, and, of course, 
just eight feet long. 

We can use inch boards sixteen feet long, the cross 
pieces being eight feet apart, the board will be sup- 
ported in the two ends and in the middle ; the boards 
need to be in sufficient number to make the shelf eight 
feet wide. 

The shelves need to be two feet six inches from one 
to the other. The worms on the three first can be fed 
while standing on the floor, and for the three others 
above, at that point the cross piece needs to be longer, 
so as to put a good board on the ends to take care of 
them, and the same way in the second story. 

The galleries between the shelves, to take care of 



silk grower's manual. 197 

the worms, are four feet wide in the center, but those 
alongside of the walls only three feet. The rafters are 
laid across for a second floor, but they are only- 
boarded, where the galleries are, for attending the 
worms ; the object of this arrangement being to allow 
the air to circulate everywhere. 

In order to be able to regulate the temperature and 
have plenty of air, I wish a kind of second roof on the 
top should be raised at about twenty inches from 
the other, and projecting on each side from four to five 
feet. This gives the appearance of a double roof. 
With some hinges, lids can be hung that we can open 
and shut at will. 

In the cocoonery it is very important to have nothing 
that would give a bad smell, and more particularly 
tobacco. That drug is a regular poison for the worms, 
and no one that smokes or chews tobacco should be 
allowed to go into a cocoonery, as the breath, which is 
impregnated with that drug, is very injurious to worms. 

The cocoonery should be built in an airy situation, 
because what the worms need most is plenty of air and 
space. In regard to space, I see that Count Dandolo 
says, that he considers the following estimate as afford- 
ing sufficient space for a million of silk worms, or in 
this proportion for a greater or less number : for the 
first age, two hundred square feet of surface ; for the 
second age, three hundred and seventy-five square feet ; 
for the third age, eight hundred and seventy-five 
square feet ; for the fourth age, two thousand and 



198 THE CALIFORNIA 

sixty-two feet, and for the fifth age, about five thousand 
feet of surface. 

In other silk countries, less favored than California, 
they have to use in their cocooneries any amount of 
different apparatus ; but we have no need of all that here. 

At one end of the building and under the roof, I 
would recommend to have one room, finished off, of some 
twenty feet square, more or less, according to the capacity 
of the building — it should be lathed and plastered ; that 
room to be used as a hatching room, and for the first 
week's feeding, and also for the millers. 

I have already designated the enemies of the silk- 
worms, but I wish you to remember particularly that 
mice destroy from the egg to the miller. 



CHAPTER XL 

SILKWORMS THE DIFFERENT VARIETIES OF. 

As there are many varieties of silkworms, w r e will 
have to find which is the best for California ; and in 
order to decide that satisfactorily, I have made ar- 
rangements to receive this season, five of the best vari- 
eties that are in cultivation in Europe, which I will try 
the next season, and then I will inform the public of 
the results. I already have in hand my first variety, 
which is very good ; but I expect to find among the 



silk grower's manual. 199 

others something better, which will produce still larger 
cocoons, according to the information I have. 

I have now a variety from Japan, that I expect to 
be their annual variety, that I will be able to try the 
next season also. In Japan, as in other silk countries, 
they cultivate several varieties ; some better than oth- 
ers. If this kind is their annual variety, according to 
the accounts I have of it, I know it will be a good 
sort. But, last year, I received a variety from Japan, 
which I tried this last season. It belongs to the 
class of worms called trivoUines, because they hatch 
several times during the season ; and in California the 
eggs of that variety hatch eight or ten days after the 
females have laid them. I have made this last season 
three crops of that variety, each time coming to per- 
fection. Their cocoons are of a pure white, but small, 
and for that reason I cannot recommend them to be 
cultivated. For my part I will not cultivate them any 
more, for two reasons : First, the fact of hatching so 
readily, keeps you busy all summer after them ; and 
certainly one good crop of a good variety, (which is 
only one-third of the work) is more valuable than 
three crops of those. Second, their cocoons being 
too small, are consequently of little value, as they pro- 
duce the short silk ; and you must all know that short 
silk brings the small price and long silk the larger 
price ; and I prefer long silk. 

Some eggs of that Japanese variety, that were left 
in my garret, have hatched out for the fourth time. 

My old, or first variety, produces yellow cocoons, but 



200 THE CALIFORNIA 

very superior to that Japanese sort, in size and quality. 
Until we find something better, it is the best variety 
that we could cultivate at present. I received that 
variety at the first, from France, but its origin is China. 

There are many other varieties of silkworms ; I will 
mention a few here. Besides the silkworms of one 
crop, or annual, we have also those of two crops. 
These go through their various mutations in twenty 
days, and produce fine white silk, which has the valua- 
ble property of retaining its clear white color. It pro- 
duces two crops, though the quantity is less than that 
produced by the large, dark colored, or by the large 
white worm. 

At the silk establishment of the British East India 
Company, at Jungepore, in Bengal, besides the com- 
mon silkworm, which produces but a single crop annu- 
ally, they have also another silkworm called dacey, 
which produces eight crops or harvests, and is supposed 
to be indigenous. 

There is a variety of silkworm found in Friuli, so 
very large that two of them, when fully grown, will out- 
weigh five of the common kind, and their cocoons 
weigh almost in the same proportion ; the quantity of 
food is one-tenth less in proportion to the weight of co- 
coons produced, than for the common kind, but they 
require five or six days longer in their evolutions, be- 
fore they begin to spin their cocoons, which are heavy, 
and measure almost 1,300 yards. One hundred co- 
coons weigh a pound, and one thousand and ninety-one 
will yield a pound of pure reeled silk. 



SILK grower's manual. 201 

The arrindy silkworm is another species entirely 
different from any other described or known, and is 
called arrindy from the name of the plant, the palma 
christi, on which the insect feeds. It is peculiar to 
the districts of Dinapore and Rangpore, in the interior 
of Bengal, where it is reared by the natives in a domestic 
state, as they do other silkworms. The palma christi 
is largely cultivated in India, as it is also in many parts 
of France, and some other countries, for the abundant 
produce of oil which is obtained from its seeds, known 
in commerce as the castor oil. This plant is therefore 
cultivated for the double use of seeds, and also of its 
leaves. 

The cocoons it produces are remarkably soft and 
white, or yellowish ; and the filament is so exceedingly 
delicate, that it cannot be wound, as are other cocoons, 
but must be spun like cotton. The cloth woven of this 
substance, is white, coarse, and of a seemingly loose 
texture, but of incredible durability ; it is used for the 
clothing of both men and women, and will wear con- 
stantly for fifteen or twenty years. Hot water dis- 
solves its texture, causing it to tear; it is therefore 
w r ashed only in cold water. 

The palma christi, or castor bean plant, flourishes 
most luxuriantly in California ; and, under our fine 
climate, that variety would certainly do well here. 

The ivild silkworm of India is a species which can- 
not be domesticated. They are so abundant in many 
parts of Bengal, and the provinces adjoining, as to have 
afforded the natives of those countries, and particularly 



202 THE CALIFORNIA 

the Brahmins, from time immemorial, considerable sup- 
plies, of a most durable, coarse, dark colored silk, 
which is woven into a fabric called tusseh dootie. This 
kind of cloth might prove very useful here, and be 
beneficial to the country, as a cheap, light, cool, and 
durable dress is much wanted — such a dress as this 
silk affords, and such as is worn by the Brahmins of 
India. Once introduced, our climate being so favor- 
able, the species would certainly flourish, unaided by 
the care, and undisturbed by the attentions of man ; 
but for that we must have large quantities of mulberry 
trees planted to let them spread over. 



CHAPTER XII. 

MODES OF RAISING SILK IN DIFFERENT COUNTRIES. 

Before giving our California silk culture, I thought 
it would be well briefly to sketch the different modes 
of raising the silk in other countries. It will give my 
readers some light on the subject, and enable them to 
appreciate our culture, by comparison. 

The general saying is : give the silkworms air, fresh 
and pure; let them be comfortably warm and dry, 
and cleanly ; and with sufficient space to prevent them 
from contact, with ample supplies of healthy food. 
These directions alone are sufficient to insure the most 
perfect success. 



SILK grower's manual. 203 

Although the art of making; silk was for a£>;es in- 
volved in obscurity, it is now stripped in a great meas- 
ure of the dark vestments in which it has been so long 
and so mysteriously vailed ; specimens of sewing silk of 
different colors, and of the most perfect beauty, have 
been produced by N. B. Stacy, Esq., of Burlington, 
Vt., in 1836, and that unaided by any experience, 
and with no other instruction than that which books 
afford. Mr. Stacy has succeeded in raising and manu- 
facturing several pounds of sewing silk of superior 
quality, yet he had never before seen a silkworm, a 
cocoon, or reel, and was himself astonished to find no 
mystery in the business. The cocoons produced by him 
were very large, requiring but little more than two 
hundred to the pound. He is persuaded that the 
main profit depends on full feeding, and making the 
greatest possible amount of silk from every insect. 

In some parts of China, where the climate is more 
suitable, the silkworms are suffered to remain at liberty, 
on their native mulberry trees, where, uncontrolled and 
unaided by man, they pass through their various muta- 
tions among the branches. When the cocoons are 
formed, they are collected from the trees, except a few 
which are left for reproduction. 

The experiment of raising silkworms in the open air 
was tried in Languedoc, France, by Mr. Martely, of 
Montpelier, in the garden of the College of Jesuits, of 
that city, in 1TG4. In that year twelve hundred francs 
were appropriated, by the Minister of France, to defray 
the expenses of the experiment, which succeeded per- 



204 THE CALIFORNIA 

fectly. In 1765, the sum of eighteen hundred francs 
was appropriated to defray the expense of another trial ; 
but owing to the unfavorable state of the weather, and 
the heavy and incessant rains, the experiment in this 
instance totally failed ; and though the rearing of silk- 
worms in the open air has not been attempted any more 
in that quarter, yet its partial success taught the culti- 
vators new and important lessons, in regard to a more 
perfect system of ventilation-. 

In China, when the mulberry tree has sufficiently 
put forth its leaves, the rolls of paper on which the eggs 
of the silkworms have been preserved, are daily sus- 
pended in the sun : the side on which the eggs are 
placed being turned from its rays. At night the papers 
are closely rolled up and placed in a warm situation ; 
and this being daily repeated, the eggs hatch in about 
four or five days. But in high latitudes, the Chinese 
regulate the temperature of apartments with stoves, 
that the eggs may hatch simultaneously. 

The houses for silkworms are in dry situations and 
in a pure atmosphere, and remote from noise. The rooms 
are made very close, but with ample means of ventila- 
tion, and the doors open on the south. Each room, or 
chamber, is provided with nine or ten tiers of frames, 
on which the rush hurdles are ranged one above the 
other ; on these the insects are fed during all the differ- 
ent periods of their growth. Stoves are also provided 
in the corners of the apartments, to preserve a uniform 
and equal temperature ; or coals are carried in a cha- 



205 

fing dish, from time to time, backwards and forwards, 
through the room. 

In China, the wants of the young worms are supplied 
with unceasing attention ; they are fed during the night 
as well as the day, forty times during the first twenty- 
four hours, and thirty times during the second day ; but 
fewer and fewer on the third day, and afterwards. 
Sagacious observers, from their long experience affirm, 
that as the growth of the silkworms is accelerated and 
success assured by the abundance of their food ; also, 
that the quicker the silkworms are brought to maturity, 
the greater is the quantity of silk which they produce. 
If the silkworms which are produced by each drachm 
in weight of eggs are suffered to linger, either through 
cold, or neglect and famine, for thirty or forty clays, 
before they begin their cocoons, the product of silk will 
be ten ounces ; but if their maturity is completed in 
twenty-eight clays, the product Tvill be twenty ounces ; 
while the same quantity of silkworms, in a warmer tem- 
perature, which being fully fed and well attended, have 
completed their growth in the short time of twenty-five 
days, will produce twenty-five ounces of silk. 

The Chinese are fully sensible of the importance of 
preserving the most perfect degree of cleanliness in 
their establishments, and are exceedingly careful on this 
head. When the insect is prepared to spin, mats are 
provided, and in the center of each a leaf is affixed, an 
inch in width. This is wound round in spiral form, till 
the mat is covered ; a space being left between each 
circle of one inch, it having been found that less silk is 
10 



206 THE CALIFORNIA 

wasted, in the receptacle of these dimensions, than 
where more space is allowed ; also, at such periods they 
exclude the outward air and light, believing the silk- 
worms spin their cocoons more diligently in darkness. 

Seven days after the silkworms have commenced 
their cocoons, they are collected together ; and a suffi- 
cient number being reserved for breeding, the remainder 
is placed in layers, in large earthern jars with salt, in 
the proportion of one-fortieth part of the whole weight 
of cocoons between the layers. The whole is covered 
with large dry leaves, and the mouths of the vessels are 
closely stopped. 

The long, shining cocoons produce silk of superior 
quality. These are separated in reeling, by the Chinese, 
from those cocoons of a thick form and dark color, which 
are of an inferior quality. In 'China and in Han-Choo- 
Foo, according to Sir George Staunton, women only 
are employed in the fabrication of flowered and em- 
broidered satins, and vast numbers are employed in 
very extensive factories. 

In the hot climate of India, the silkworms are reared 
and sheltered in buildings, and beneath sheds of an 
open and airy structure, the sides being composed of 
lattice work, and the roofs covered with thatch ; their 
breadth being generally fifteen feet, with a path through 
the center of sufficient width. The height is usually 
eight feet or more, and on either side ; and one above 
the other, and in tiers of from twelve to sixteen deep, 
are the stagings, formed of .shelves or shallow boxes of 
bamboo, in which the silkworms are placed. The posts, 



207 

which support the stagings, rest in basins of water, to 
protect them from ants. When the silkworms are ready 
to form their cocoons, they are transferred to cells 
formed of planted bamboo. 

Formerly, it has been the practice in many parts of 
Europe, to inclose a couple of ounces of eggs, in a silk 
or cotton bag ; which was worn in the bosom next the 
skin, and at night was placed beneath a warm pillow. 
After three days the eggs were carefully transferred to 
thin shallow boxes, these being placed between warm 
pillows. The heat of each was frequently renewed, as 
the silkworms were expected to appear toward the 
fourth day. 

In Italy, Count Dandolo had recommended and 
adopted the plan of using stoves for warming and regu- 
lating the temperature 'of the apartments in which the 
eggs were hatched. The heat of these rooms being 
regulated by the thermometer, is raised during the first 
day to sixty-four degrees ; raising it gradually a degree 
or two a day, till it shall Jiave reached eighty-two 
degrees on the tenth day, and this point is not to be 
exceeded. Count Dandolo has suggested that one 
room might answer for all the silkworms of a whole 
district. Fortunately, the necessity of rules like these 
is unknown in California, and in a great portion of 
America. 

In some of the late establishments of France, they 
have altogether dispensed with the use of fireplaces 
and stoves, the apartments being now warmed when 



208 THE CALIFORNIA 

needful by currents of heated air, caused by a furnace 
placed beneath or without the main apartment. 

Broussa, a city at the foot of the Mount Olympus, 
like many other cities of Turkey, says Commodore 
Porter, is surrounded with plantations of the mulberry 
trees ; and asses laden with the limbs and leaves are 
continually going into the city. 

Mrs. Rhind says, that in Turkey the production of silk 
is confined to the cities, or large towns, in the vicinity 
of which the mulberry trees are chiefly cultivated by 
the farmers and landed proprietors, who do not raise 
the silkworms themselves ; at the suitable season, the 
leaves are daily collected by them, and sold in the 
market of the city as fruits or vegetables are sold. 
When the season commences, almost every family clear 
out all the rooms in the house, except the one in which 
they live. The worms being hatched, they purchase 
sufficient leaves, and strew them over the floor of each 
room, leaving only a small space round the four walls, 
for the convenience of feeding ; they then place the 
worms on the leaves, who rapidly attack them. New 
quantities of leaves are daily added to supply the 
wants of the worms ; the litter is never removed, but 
is suffered to accumulate frequently to the height of 
three feet. When the worms are ready for winding, 
branches and brushes are planted immediately over the 
collected mass, and on these the cocoons are formed ; 
and these being collected, the rooms are then cleared 
out, and the reeling is commenced. 

This is the rude and abominably negligent mode 



silk grower's manual. 209 

which is practiced in Broussa, the great silk district of 
Turkey, where the best silk is produced. Thus in 
Turkey, the silkworms are reared in cities, as well as 
in country villages, and the food is purchased in the 
market ; these cities and villages being surrounded by 
the plantations of the mulberry. 

I have been thus particular in describing the mode 
of rearing the silk in Turkey, but not by any means 
that. I would propose it as an example for us to imitate 
in California, but as a striking proof of the great 
strength of constitution which the silkworms possess ; 
and the only mystery appears to be, to comprehend 
with what power the silkworms are endued, which can 
enable them, thus situated, not only to live and survive, 
but also to produce valuable crops. It shows that in 
Turkey, their trees are constantly growing under the 
influence of a genial sun. 

I have also tried here in San Jose, to raise the silk- 
worms in open air. In 1861, knowing that the birds 
would eat them all, I covered with mosquito bars the 
two trees on which I put my worms. I put them 
in the morning at about 8 o'clock, and the next morn- 
ing at about the same time, I visited them and found 
them almost all gone ; and the few that were left were 
surrounded, each one, by a half dozen of ants, that 
were carrying them away. Finding that we have so 
many enemies outside, I concluded that it was of no 
use to think of raising them in the open air, in Call 
fornia. 



210 THE CALIFORNIA 

CHAPTER XIII. 

AMOUNT OF FOOD. 

According to Count Dandolo, five ounces of eggs 
will furnish two hundred thousand silkworms, which 
will consume seven thousand pounds of leaves ; and one 
hundred trees can furnish the food for all ; and twenty- 
one pounds of leaves will furnish food for one 'pound of 
cocoons. Count De Hazzi, from the sources above 
named, calculates that two hundred thousand silkworms 
require ten thousand pounds of leaves in the different 
stages of their existence, in the following proportions : 
in the first age, fifty pounds ; second age, one hundred 
and fifty pounds ; third age, four hundred and sixty 
pounds ; fourth age, one thousand three hundred and 
ninety pounds ; but in the fifth and last age, which 
usually comprises near one-third of the brief existence 
of the silkworm, they will require seven thousand nine 
hundred and fifty pounds. 

It is evident that the curious tables of the progress 
of the insect which some of the best authors have given 
us, can be no sure guide, even with a regulated atmos- 
phere ; the progress, space, and time, and proportion of 
food which will be required for the forty thousand silk- 
worms, hatched from one ounce of eggs, from their 
birth, till the time they begin to spin, has been given 
by Mr. Bonafoux. I will here state in the abstract, 
that in the first age, seven pounds of leaves are con- 



silk grower's manual. 211 

sumed ; in the second, twenty-one pounds ; in the third, 
sixty-nine pounds and twelve ounces ; in the fourth, 
two hundred and ten pounds ; and in the fifth, or after 
the fourth moulting, one thousand two hundred and 
eighty-one pounds. In the consumption of their food, 
their progress, though irregular in the detail, is uniform 
on the whole. On the third clay from their birth, they 
consume three pounds of leaves ; on the fourth, but one 
pound and six ounces ; on the fifth day, they begin to 
cast off their skins, and being sick and torpid, they con- 
sume but six ounces ; in their second age, and on the 
first day, they consume four pounds eight ounces, thus 
atoning for previous abstinence ; on the third day, 
seven and one-half pounds ; but on the fourth day, 
comes on the moulting sickness, and they eat no more 
than two and one-half pounds ; in the third age, and 
first day, they consume six and three-fourths pounds ; 
on the second clay, twenty-one and one-half pounds ; 
on the third day, twenty-two and one-half pounds ; on 
the fourth, twelve and one-half pounds ; and but six 
and one-half pounds on the fifth clay ; on the sixth 
day they become sick, and take no food, this being 
a critical period. They cast their skins for the third 
time. On the first clay of the fourth age, twenty- 
three and one-fourth pounds are consumed ; but on 
the seventh clay they eat absolutely nothing, and arc 
again torpid, this being the critical period. They 
cast off their skins for the fourth time-. In the fifth age 
and first day, they consume forty-two pounds ; on the 
sixth day, they become most of all voracious and con- 



212 THE CALIFORNIA 

siune two hundred and twenty-three pounds ; from this 
time, their appetites daily lessen, until the tenth day, 
when they consume only fifty-six pounds. The silk- 
worms, which at their time of birth occupied but nine 
feet of the hurdles, now require two hundred and thirty- 
nine feet of space, and the whole quantity of food con- 
sumed is about sixteen hundred pounds. 

According to another account of Mr. Bonafoux, two 
hundred thousand silkworms were sustained on seventy- 
two hundred pounds of leaves ; but it is admitted that 
a certain quantity of leaves were given in the inter- 
mediate meals, which were not reckoned in the account ; 
also, that in the first stages, the leaves were chopped, 
which enables the silkworms to consume them without 
waste. 

Other and authentic accounts make the amount of 
food consumed even less than five thousand pounds. 
We will admit nine thousand pounds ; but much must 
necessarily depend on care, and economy in feeding. 

The quantity of food consumed, depends also in some 
measure on the season ; if that be moist, the leaves will 
contain less nourishment, and consequently more weight 
of food will be required; but if, on the contrary, the 
season be dry, less quantities will be required, as the 
leaves contain much more nourishment. Something 
also depends on the species or variety of mulberry 
which is used. The Moms midticaulis has no gross or 
coarse fibers. It is found that a less quantity of food 
of this species will suffice for the precious insects. The 
same may be said of the Morus moretti, which con- 
tains in proportion more nourishment. 



213 



CHAPTER XIV. 

OBSERVATIONS ON THE FEEDING AND QUALITY OF FOOD. 

The quantity of silk which the insect affords, is in 
proportion to the amount of food consumed ; the dura- 
tion of the silkworm is prolonged by a cool season ; 
or by scanty, or irregular supplies of food ; in this case, 
the amount of silk is greatly diminished. When a 
crop of silkworms lingers, either through cold or fam- 
ine, for forty days, the amount of silk which they can 
afford is not considerable ; while the bounteous harvest 
afforded by a crop of silkworms fully fed and well 
attended, which in a warm temperature finish their 
labors in twenty-four days, will produce more than 
double the amount of silk. The silkworm feeds night 
and day, and the more they are fed, the faster they 
grow, and the sooner they will come to maturity ; and 
in proportion to the dimensions of the insect, will be 
the size of the cocoons, and the amount of silk pro- 
duced. 

A certain quantity of food being indispensable to 
sustain life, and the amount of silk which is afforded 
being of itself wholly the production of the excess of 
the food consumed, it follows as a consequence that to 
feed them profitably, they must be fed well. Feeding 
with branches I consider the most economical mode for 
a warm and dry climate like ours in California, as the 

]0* 



214 THE CALIFORNIA 

leaves retain their freshness and flavor for a longer 
time, and in that case are devoured with less waste. 

The Italians insist on cutting the leaves fine for 
young worms ; I did so the last season, but have 
observed that under our dry atmosphere we should not 
do it, as they get dried up, immediately, and the little 
ones have hardly time to eat anything before they are 
too hard ; on that subject I am just reading now, that 
Mr. Smith, and some others of America, have rejected 
this mode, after trial, as the silkworms tread down the 
cut leaves, passing over them and causing waste. 

The young worms prefer twigs, or small branches, as 
the leaves keep longer in this state, or until consumed, 
and are more consonant to the natural habits of the 
worms. It has also been noticed, that the worms avoid 
the cut edges, and attack the leaf in any other part 
in preference. A dozen leaves torn in pieces at each 
feeding will support a great many worms during the 
first, second, third and fourth days, and but a very 
few leaves will suffice during the first ten days. Con- 
stant attention will soon enable the intelligent attend- 
ant to discover the quantity of food necessary, and to 
avoid, on one hand, stinting them in the needful quan- 
tity, or on the other hand, a needless waste by over 
supplies of food. 

The young leaves being replete with moisture, and 
very tender, are the only suitable food for the young 
silkworms, because their bodies perspire largely ; and 
as the mature leaves contain a greater proportion of 



silk grower's manual. 215 

solid and nutritive food, so they are the only suitable 
food for the silkworms of a more advanced age. 

Leaves of a crude and watery consistence, like wet 
leaves, are sour, and occasion disease ; leaves which 
contain more nourishment, grown in the sun, being 
alone the more suitable. The best quality of leaves 
are produced, (as it is generally admitted) in dry sea- 
sons, and on dry soils, and particularly" on trees little 
advanced in growth. 

In our State, the whole summer season is continually 
dry, and being entirely without rain, most all of our 
soils are dry ; this is why our leaves are of the first 
quality for the worms. 

In the early or first ages of the silkworms the amount 
of food consumed is very small ; but the amount is 
very great in the last age, as their dimensions and bulk 
are wonderfully increased. 

If the longitudinal dimensions of the insect be com- 
pared during the different ages, and their length at 
hatching being unit, or one, then at the end of the sec- 
ond age, six ; at the end of the third age, twelve ; at 
the end of the fourth age, twenty ; at the end of the 
fifth age, forty. 

I have shown before that the duration of the insect 
is prolonged by cold, or for want of proper feeding ; 
while on the contrary, the vital functions of the worms 
are accelerated by warmth, and also by the degree of 
attention which is bestowed on them. 

To show that their life is prolonged, when not prop- 
erly fed, a very remarkable fact occurred here last 



21(3 THE CALIFORNIA 

summer. Early in the season, I gave to Col. "Warren, 
of the " California Farmer," a lot of young silkworms ; 
and for many reasons it was impossible for him to feed 
them properly, and indeed they have been very badly 
fed, being often several days without food at all ; and 
often, having no other, he had to feed them with 
faded, hard, dry leaves, that was impossible for them to 
eat. Under such treatment they lived mostly all the 
time in a torpid state, but remained small for three 
months. At that time the Colonel sent them to me ; I 
then fed them well, and in a few days they got fat, and 
of pretty good size, and made their cocoons, although 
not very good ones. I do not know, but think that 
anywhere else they would not have lived such a long 
time. 

In a regulated temperature, or such a temperature 
as Count Dandolo has prescribed, and where the heat 
indicated by the thermometer is gradually reduced 
from seventy-five degrees on the first day, to sixty- 
eight degrees on the last, though the weather is con- 
stantly growing warmer ; in a temperature thus regu- 
lated, their various changes, or moultings, usually occur 
on the fifth, ninth, fifteenth and twenty-second days; 
and they generally will quit feeding on the thirty-sec- 
ond day ; but in warm climates, as I have shown, the 
various mutations or changes are hastened ; but it seems 
agreed, that the amount of food consumed is the same ; 
it is evident that the diary, which I shall omit, is only 
for the regulated temperature, and we have it natur- 
ally pretty well regulated here, during the feeding 
time. 



silk grower's manual. 217 

CHAPTER XV. 

TREATMENT OF SILKWORMS, ACCORDING TO OUR CLIMATE. 

What I have previously said in the different sections 
is in order to familiarize my readers with the nature 
and treatment of the silkworms, that they may be able 
to know what is best to do, and then be competent 
judges to appreciate the advantages of our California 
silk culture, which is so simplified that it gives us a 
great advantage over other silk countries. 

Count Dandolo is considered the best writer on silk- 
worms, and the best authority ; this explains to you, 
how a book on the silk raising cannot be written without 
referring to him often ; but to give you an idea of the 
immense work that the climate in Italy forces them to 
do, compared with the simple and economical mode of 
feeding, etc., that our fine silk climate allows us to use 
here, I only have to say to you that Dandolo's work on 
the treatment of the silkworm is a book of large size, 
containing three hundred and eighty-four pages , and a 
great number of plates ; giving, first, a plan of the 
complicated and expensive cocoonery which must be 
built there, with also the figures of a great number of 
different apparatus that are needed there, which are 
very costly, and of which we have no need here. 

They have been obliged to feed there with leaves up 
to the present day, while here we feed our worms with 
branches. I have explained in my letters in the be- 



218 THE CALIFORNIA 

ginning of this book, how I came to that ; it was in 
order to curtail the labor. With the exception of Dan- 
clolo's work, that I have in French, I never had in Cali- 
fornia, any other book on silk, till September last, when 
at Sacramento, my old friend Mr. A. P. Smith of that 
place, presented me two ; one, the " American Silk 
Grower's Guide," by William Kenrick ; with whom 
about the year 1838, I was acquainted. The second 
book is " Mulberry Tree and Silk Worm," by Mr. 
Samuel Whitemarsh. Both books were written in 
1839. 

In regard to the feeding with branches I have just 
read in Mr. Whitemarsh's book an article that pleased 
me very much, as it coincides with my ideas, and so 
well with all I have said before about it, that I cannot 
help giving it to you here ; it reads thus : 

"When the mulberry branches cease to be worth six 
cents an inch, I propose to feed with branches as they 
come from the tree. I am persuaded that this practice 
will be generally adopted in this country, as it has 
many advantages, some of which I will enumerate. 

" In the first place, the foliage may be gathered in 
much less time ; it will keep better till consumed ; the 
same saving of time is gained in feeding, and much 
more in cleaning off the frames ; the worms mount the 
twigs while feeding, and remain afterwards, having 
more advantage of the air, and more space than on a 
flat surface ; the leaf will be entirely consumed, leav- 
ing nothing but dry branches to remove ; the ordure 
of the worms will fall through to the shelf, themselves 



silk grower's manual. 219 

entirely free from it ; on the branches they will have a 
better chance to be equally fed, and if this be not 
attended to, the ill fed ones will lag behind. But 
the greatest advantage of all is, that they need not to 
be removed from the frame, from the time they are put 
on it, till they mount to wind the cocoon ; this will be 
a vast saving of labor, and prevent the handling of the 
worms, which is always to be avoided. As the branches 
are laid on, they should be laid first crosswise ; and 
then lengthwise with the frame ; making thus a sort 
of net-work which can be easily separated in layers when 
you clean them off ; the worms will be more healthy, 
particularly in moulting time, as in the usual way of 
feeding with leaves ; they retire under the litter, and 
remain there till they change, where they must breathe 
a bad air, and in many cases be smothered by the accu- 
mulation of matter. 

" I may as well mention here the system of cutting the 
branches. Cut your trees within three or four feet of 
the ground, making clean work as you go, cutting the 
branches within two or three inches of the body. The 
trees thus trimmed will produce a head to be taken off 
at the feeding time ; they will be thus kept within reach, 
and always handsomer and better than when stripped 
of their leaves. The branches when cut should be laid 
in the cellar, when if wet, they will soon dry ; after 
being fed from, they may be planted in furrows, and ^ ill 
many of them grow." 

Though I have never seen the above article before 
to-day, December 22d, 1866, it seems to me curious 



220 THE CALIFORNIA 

that Mr. Whitemarsh proposed in 1839 what I have been 
doing here in California for six years without knowing 
of the existence of Mr. Whitemarsh's book ; but I feel 
really happy to find that good article and to lay it 
before you, as it corresponds entirely with my views on 
that subject; it is also an approval and a proof that 
what I said about the feeding with branches is true, ac- 
cording to that authority. 

Mr. Whitemarsh values very highly this mode of feed- 
ing when he says : " When the mulberry branches 
cease to be worth six cents an inch ;" but here we don't 
want to create any mulberry fever, and my principal 
object in publishing the Manual is to prevent it, by giving 
every farmer and planter the means of propagating his 
own mulberry trees ; in that way, within a short time, 
we will have millions of them, and they will be the 
cheapest of all the trees produced, as it is my aim that 
we should be able to raise the best silk and produce it 
cheaper than in any other silk countries. 

But I must go on with the treatment of silkworms in 
California. I will just take the eggs, go through the 
whole process, and leave them when they are eggs 
again. 

First, Hatching. The eggs of the silkworms are of a 
pale slate or dark lilac color, and of the size of a pin's 
head ; those of a yellow color are imperfect. The eggs 
are generally on paper or on cloth, and kept in a cool, 
dry place in the cellar, to prevent them from hatching ; 
but to hatch them, they must be put to the heat. In 
Europe they have to use artificial heat for their hatch- 



221 

ings, but here in California we have no need of it, as 
when I want to hatcli mine, I simply take the papers 
on which my eggs are, from the cellar and carry them 
to my garret, and there the heat caused by the sun 
through the roof makes them hatch promptly, which 
they generally begin to do on the third day and con- 
tinue for a few days, permitting them generally to 
hatch for four clays ; the balance not hatched, which are 
few, I throw away, considering that these late ones are 
not very good. 

It is very important that those that hatch the first 
day and those that hatch the second day, etc., should 
be kept by themselves, and not mixed together. This 
is very easy by marking with your pencil the papers on 
which you put your young worms, with " No. 1 " — " 2," 
etc. This is necessary, because when they are moult- 
ing, being of the same age, they are all moulting at 
the same time, and if they were the different days or 
ages mixed together, some would be moulting when 
others want to eat, and those eating would be very in- 
jurious to those in the critical function of casting off their 
skins : they need at that moment to remain undisturbed. 

First Age. When the silkworms are hatched, they 
are of a black color, one-twelfth of an inch in length ; 
those of a red color may be thrown away, if there are 
any. As soon as they are hatched they need to be fed ; 
put on them then young and very tender leaves ; tlirv 
crawl on them, and then they are easily removed to 
the papers and placed on the shelves by taking the 
leaves on which they are. After, you feed them with 



222 THE CALIFORNIA 

very tender leaves for that first age, but they prefer 
young twigs, as I have said before, and with twigs they 
are easier to remove from one paper to the other ; give 
them small quantities at the time, but often, at least six 
times or more during the twenty-four hours. 

When the young brood are piled too closely, a part 
can be removed on the young twigs or branches. They 
eat well for about three days, after which they grow 
torpid, and must not then be disturbed till awakened. 
You need not remove the litter during this stage, but 
remove them afterwards by putting fresh twigs two or 
three times, so as to cover all the worms or nearly so, 
after which you throw the litter away. 

After each and every successive change, their appe- 
tite increases daily more and more, but gradually dimin- 
ishes as their change approaches. 

Second Age. The silkworm now awakes hungry, but 
let those which awake too soon still hunger till all are 
awakened, that all may be equal ; they have now be- 
come of a dark ash color. Feed them for two or three 
days with branches containing young and tender leaves, 
and afterwards with branches having young leaves and 
some older, but when they will grow torpid they must 
not be disturbed. The litter during this stage is to be 
often removed, and you may lure the silkworms to any 
corner of the shelf by a few twigs, when you choose, 
for the purpose of sweeping the litter, or you may re- 
move them to other shelves on branches. 

Third Age. Then you begin to place your branches 
as represented in the engraving, (see frontispiece) and 



silk grower's manual. 223 

from this time continue feeding the silkworms with full- 
grown leaves ; and their mouths, with which they saw 
their food, is changed in color, originally white and soft, 
but soon becoming hard and black, continually growing 
harder with every successive change. 

Fourth Age. When they wake up in this age, the 
silkworms are of a whitish flesh color, except the spot- 
ted species, called tigres ; their head and body has be- 
come enlarged, their appetite becomes voracious, and 
they can now devour all the coarse leaves. 

Fifth Age. Their color has now become of a dark 
gray with a reddish hue ; they continue, however, grow- 
ing whiter for about seven days, when they generally 
become of a yellow color, their backs becoming shining 
and their mouths of a red color. 

A great quantity of food is now needed, and the 
branches must be brought by wagon loads and distrib- 
uted to them. It is curious to see the incredible quan- 
tities of full-grown leaves that they devour at present ; 
even the coarsest leaves are equally valuable, and night 
and day they must be fully fed. Their time now being 
short, must be improved continually and to the utmost, 
for now they hunger incessantly, and the more they eat 
and the faster they feed the more abundant will be the 
produce of silk. If you find that your heaps of 
branches are too high, like coming eight or ten inches 
from the shelf above, you take the whole top with all 
the worms on ; see that you hold it up carefully, so as not 
to hurt the worms, during which time another person 
takes off all the branches from beneath, and sweeps 



224 THE CALIFORNIA 

from the papers the ordures of the worms ; after which 
you replace your top where it was ; this is easily done, 
and it would take but a short time to cleanse in that 
way the whole room, if it was necessary. It is never 
needed more than once during the whole feeding. 

When the warmth of the atmosphere will admit, as 
in the former ages, the numerous windows in the roof 
and on the sides must be opened to preserve a pure at- 
mosphere. They delight, in all the latter days, in 
a cool, fresh, and pure atmosphere ; then when the 
weather is parching, hot, and dry, sprinkle the floor 
with water occasionally, and keep shallow vessels filled 
with water to rectify the air. 

During every age and until the silkworm has ceased 
taking food, it never inclines to wander — a circumstance 
which has rendered this insect wonderfully easy of con- 
trol. 

In the other chapters I have already expressed my 
views on frequent feedings, and also the advantage of 
feeding in the night, though I have not done this yet in 
California, as I always raised them in small quantities ; 
but I know that it is admitted everywhere, and that we 
must do it if we wish a complete success, and to obtain 
silk of superior quality. But before concluding the 
subject of feedings, I wish to say a few words more : 
feed the worms frequently and as regularly as possible, 
and as abundantly as circumstances permit ; let them 
always have as much as they will eat with a good appe- 
tite, always observing that when the time of moultings ar- 
rives, they will cease to eat and retire among the branches ; 



silk grower's manual. 226 

they must then be left quiet till they revive, which is 
generally in about twenty-four hours, and when well 
awakened, feed them again ; and so on through every 
age ; but for the last age make your arrangements for 
large supplies of branches, as more will be "required 
than in the 'whole previous ages ; and then for a week 
or ten days you must be active, because your own labor 
is nearly over and that of the worms is about to com- 
mence ; and you will soon see them looking about for a 
place to retire into, as they do not like much to be seen 
making their cocoons in public. You will then provide 
for them when you see them raising their heads from 
their fresh food and moving about. 

Formation of the Cocoons. — When the silkworms 
become transparent and of a pearly color, when they 
cease eating and are running to and fro, looking up- 
wards or trying to ascend, when the skin about their 
necks becomes wrinkled and their bodies have a soft- 
ness to the touch resembling soft dough, and their backs 
become unusually shining, when the green circles around 
the body contract and become of a bright gold color, 
these are sure indications that they are prepared for 
the last work of forming the cocoons ; then, and not 
before, you must provide them with something to attach 
and place their cocoons in ; sometimes it is made with 
the twigs of the oak with the leaves on, which had been 
before provided ; the 'leaf of the oak is strong, and the 
cocoons are separated from it without injury ; they 
should be cut and dried some three weeks previous, 
preserved in readiness till required. They are placed 



226 THE CALIFORNIA 

in the center of the heap of branches on which your 
worms are, upright, with the top spread, forming har- 
bors twenty inches or more in width, with circular heads. 
Some are using rye or wheat straw, after cutting the 
heads, tied in small bundles of the size of your arm, 
placing them also upright and spreading the top under 
the shelf above. 

With our mode in California of feeding with branches, 
if you do not give them enough twigs to place their co- 
coons in, they make them in the branches of the heap 
on which they are. 

The insect generally requires from three to five days 
to form the cocoon completely. During the first day, 
the insect forms a loose oval structure of thin, irregular, 
coarse threads, called floss. Within this structure, dur- 
ing the three following days, it forms the silken ball ; 
not, however, in concentric circles, but by irregular 
movements, backwards and forwards in spots. The 
silken fiber is covered with a gum, which contributes to 
exclude the water. 

Sometimes, even after its ascent among the branches 
or straw, the silkworm will look back, and descend once 
more, for the last time, to take some more food. 

Ventilation is very important during the period while 
the insects are performing their last labor ; yet, in no 
case is a due and comfortable degree of warmth more 
needed than while the insect is forming its cocoon, as 
this enables them to draw forth and to surrender the 
whole amount of silk which they had laid up in store. 

Gathering of the Cocoons. — In about eight days after 



227 

the cocoons are finished, they have to be gathered, and 
the floss silk taken off from around them, and saved, if 
clean ; they can be reeled off at that time if you are 
prepared to do it ; but if you are not, you must stifle 
the chrysalis, so as to reel them at any time after, or to 
sell your cocoons. In more temperate climates, as in 
some parts of Europe, ovens are used for destroying the 
insect. The cocoons are placed in oblong shallow baskets, 
covered with a paper, and over it a cloth, and these are 
placed in an oven, the heat of which should be very 
nearly that of the oven after the bread is drawn ; thus 
wrapped up and exposed during half an hour or an hour, 
the chrysalides taken from the centre of the basket will 
be found dead ; on removal from the basket, they are 
covered closely with blankets for a few hours, and then 
dried in the sun. 

They can also be stifled by steam and other pro- 
cesses, but all of them require much work and expense 
for artificial heat ; and besides that, nearly in every case 
it injures the luster of the silk, particularly that of the 
white variety. 

Stifling the Chrysalide in California. — Here, in our 
blessed silk climate, we have no need of all this, and we 
are not likely to injure the luster of our silk, as I found 
that the power of our solar rays is sufficient to destroy 
the chrysalide in the cocoon. This is the best and sim- 
plest mode. The cocoons need only to be exposed fully 
to the scorching rays of the sun, from ten o'clock in the 
morning till four in the afternoon ; two or three days of 
such exposure are sufficient. But to make the work surer 



228 THE CALIFORNIA 

and better, I would recommend to have for that purpose 
long boxes four feet wide, sides six inches high, to be 
covered with glass frames ; this will greatly increase the 
heat, and will have the effect of destroying the insect 
promptly and surely. In this way, your cocoons will 
also be protected against being destroyed by mice or 
rats, or otherwise, as your boxes must be made close, to 
afford no chance for these pests to get in, because they 
are immoderately fond of chrysalides. 

Select your Cocoons for the eggs. — For seed, the very 
best cocoons should be selected, that is, those which are 
of the largest size and feel firm, and are of a bright 
color ; and so far as possible, an equal number of males 
and females ; the male cocoons are slender, depressed 
in the middle, and pointed at both ends ; the female 
cocoons are of a larger size and of a rounder form, and 
resemble in shape a hen's egg. 

If we keep selecting carefully our very best cocoons 
for seed, it is my opinion, and also that of other com- 
petent silk growers, that under our fine climate, so very 
favorable to silk culture, within a few years, we will 
obtain a California variety ', that will surjiass in size and 
quality all the varieties known and cultivated now. 

After having stripped the floss, they may be strung 
together by threads, being careful not to pierce the 
cocoon, and hung up to the wainscot in festoons ; or 
placed in a single layer in open paper boxes, on shelves 
or tables, in a darkened, retired, warm and airy place ; 
and from ten to fifteen days from the time they com- 
plete spinning, according to the warmth of the season, 



SILK grower's manual. 229 

the -moth emerges from the cocoon, in the shape of a 
large butterfly, of a grayish white color, with four 
wings, two eyes, and two feathery plumes or horns. 
The male usually appears first, and is known by his 
smaller size, and a continual flutter of his wings. The 
female is of a larger size, of a whiter color, and seldom 
moves. These are to be paired, and then removed by 
their wings to sheets of paper spread on tables or 
boards, where they are to be left in darkness, as when 
complete, the silkworm is a night insect. 

They generally come out of the cocoons in the morn- 
ing, between seven and nine o'clock, when you have to 
be there, and see that they are all paired ; otherwise, 
your eggs would not he good for anything. Those that 
are paired, you take by the wings, being careful not to 
hurt or separate them ; you put them on the papers, 
and those that are not paired, you take them, males 
and females, and put them together on a separate sheet 
of paper, and they will soon get paired there ; and when 
they are, you take them and put them with the others. 

Sometimes, among the paired ones, a male or more 
gets loose ; and as soon as you see it, you must take 
them off, because they would disturb the others, and 
cause many of them to get loose also ; and it is import- 
ant that they should not be disturbed. You put these 
loose ones, male and female, back with the unpaired 
ones, so that they may'all get paired again. 

After they are all paired, you leave them in their 
dark place, till about four or five o'clock in the after- 
noon, when you have to separate them. For that, take 



230 TEE CALIFORNIA 

the wings of the male with one hand, and the wings of 
the female with the other ; draw them apart gently, so 
as not to hurt them ; place the males in a box, and the 
females on the paper or cloth, on which you wish to 
have them lay their eggs. 

Most of the females begin to lay as soon as separ- 
ated from the males ; but be careful to leave no male 
among the females, that are placed to lay their eggs, 
and if by mistake you have thrown a female among the 
males, carefully place it with the others. 

After that operation is done, and the females com- 
mence laying, you have nothing more to do with them ; 
cover the box which contains the males, and keep it so 
until the next morning : it is what is called the reserve* 
The next morning, proceed the same way as I have 
said above ; but it happens sometimes that you have 
more females than males, in which case, after you have 
all your males of the morning employed, you take the 
quantity you need from your reserve, as you must re- 
member that every female must he provided for produc- 
ing good eggs. 

After you have been using the males you want from 
your reserve, throw all the balance out, and the birds 
will soon eat them. Do the same thing every day, 
till all the moths have emerged from the cocoons. 

One hundred pairs of cocoons, which weigh a pound;, 
will produce an ounce of eggs ; and an ounce of eggs 
is considered to produce forty thousand silkworms. 

After your females have done laying their eggs, they 
will all die, and then you can roll together carefully 



SILK grower's manual. 231 

the papers on which your eggs are, and place them in 
tin boxes. Two sides or more of these tin boxes should 
be of perforated tin. These boxes, to be preserved, 
should be placed in a cool room, or dry cellar, where 
they will not be liable to freeze : but freezing, though it 
may injure by retarding the period of their hatching, 
yet does not destroy them. 

Now, we have been through the whole process, and 
you have your eggs again, ready for next year, which 
you will take care to hatch when your mulberry trees 
are growing finely, so you may be sure of having 
plenty of good food for them ; and this is, in California, 
usually about the tenth or twentieth day of June. 



CHAPTER XVI. 

TALK WITH THE FARMERS AND PLANTERS. 

Now, farmers and planters generally, in giving to 
you all my experience, and all I know about the raising 
of the mulberry trees and silk, I have proved that I 
am your friend — then I can have a talk with you on 
the subject ; I will try to make it interesting and 
useful to you, as under that head I may say whatever 
comes to my memory about mulberry trees and silk 
raising in our silk State, etc. To farmers and planters w e 
must look for the production of that rich article, and as 



232 THE CALIFORNIA 

they are only those who enrich a country, then it is 
to the farmers and planters throughout our silk climate 
that I particularly address myself, and urge them to give 
their immediate and earnest attention to this so important 
a subject ; to look into the matter thoroughly, and not 
only look, but act. They must not be alarmed with 
the frequent croakings about the high price of labor in 
this country, and the impossibility of raising the silk 
in competition with other countries. It is too late now 
for such arguments ; they vanish completely before the 
face of facts, which are better than all the theories. 
The silk culture has now gained too much headway in 
California to be checked in its speed by the fears and 
doubts of the timid and shortsighted — as any doubts 
of its full and complete success cannot be entertained 
any more by any reasoning person. Then I urge you all 
to plant mulberries, in the full assurance that they will 
be wanted ; this will be a rich legacy to your children, 
for you may be assured that silk must and will be 
raised all over California, from one corner to the other, 
and also in several other of our States, that possess a 
similar climate to our own, and to which then our 
simplified culture can be applied : 

1st. The difference in the price of labor here and 
in France does not hardly exist any more, as the 
price of labor there is double now of what it was thirty 
years ago ; but supposing that it is now as low as then, 
we could certainly obtain and raise the silk for half of 
the cost there, for the different reasons that I have 
already stated in the first chapter, in my letter. 



silk grower's manual. 233 

2d. There is no other culture so rich as the culture 
of silk, if the farmers and planters only give their atten- 
tion to it ; and with that culture only, we would soon 
be able to pay our national debt and our own. Nothing 
could be so profitable to the United States, and our 
Congress ought to take the matter into serious consid- 
eration. We have in a great measure to depend on our 
Congressmen to see that that rich culture is established 
generally. They only have simply to maintain a high 
tariff on the article for a few years, and the culti- 
vation and the manufacture of silk will be established 
everywhere throughout the country. We trust that 
they will look to the general good of the country, and 
not to the benefit of only a few. 

3d. The culture of silk is in itself simple ; and the 
farmers, their waives and their children, the old and 
the young — all will find pleasure and profit in that 
culture. It is principally for them that I write this 
little book, in giving them facts only, and the simple 
culture of our silk producing country. 

4th. The farmers who are blessed with a large 
family of children, are those that are naturally better 
situated to cultivate and raise the silk more profitably 
than others, as they are not obliged to hire any extra 
help at feeding time. 

oth. The wife, or the eldest daughter, of the farmer 
can study this Manual, and then they will be able to 
superintend the work of feeding, etc., in showing and 
telling the younger ones what they have to do. 

6th. I wish that each farmer would take the trouble 



234 THE CALIFORNIA 

of counting his children, and plant one acre of mulberry 
trees for each one of them, in the best mulberry land of 
the farm ; in that way they will not cost them anything, 
and I think that, on the contrary, they will be a benefit 
to them ; they will anyhow be able to support them- 
selves, and be independent from the product of their 
acre. But some have told me that the children have 
to go to school. I admit that, and particularly recom- 
mend you to send them to school. But as the whole 
process of feeding and cleaning the cocoons, etc., etc., 
does not exceed tivo months, then they have ten months 
in the year to go to school — and I suppose this is about 
sufficient for them ; besides that, the raising of silk is 
also a useful school to go to. 

7th. The feeding and taking care of the worms and 
cocoons, the reeling of silk — all this work in silk 
countries is done by the ladies, of all ages : this will 
also be the case in California. Some say that our 
California ladies do not like to work. I do not believe 
it ; if some of them do not work as they ought to do, 
the reason is that they have no profitable work to do 
that suits their delicate natures ; but the moment they 
will have that work, I guarantee you that they will 
nearly all go into it, as in this kind of work a woman 
can do it better than a man ; and they will then con- 
tribute to enrich the country. This will certainly be a 
great improvement and benefit to our young ladies, 
who will certainly be proud to wear fine dresses from 
silk raised by their own hands. 

8th. In France, where silk is a national culture, it is 



silk grower's manual. 235 

a part of the education of young ladies. In their schools, 
convents, or academies, they are to receive a small lot 
of silkworms' eggs, and they have to hatch them and 
raise the worms. Those that know all about it show 
the others. Thus they are educated and familiarized 
with the treatment and the culture of silkworms, which 
may prove afterwards very useful to them. 

9th. Aged persons, no more fit for hard labor, men 
and women, will find in the culture of silk an agreeable 
and profitable employment. 

10th. I have many questions asked me on the sub- 
ject, by letters. Some ask how many trees are required 
to the acre. To those I would say, that in the way they 
have to be planted, as I have indicated for the plantation, 
an acre will take from six to eight hundred, according to 
the distance you plant them — to suit your soil. 

11th. Others ask how long they will have to wait 
before the trees will give leaves in sufficient quantity to 
begin to feed the worms. We are in a country so 
extraordinary for being favorable to the growth of the 
mulberry trees, that we have not to wait, we can feed 
in the summer from trees, and even from cutiiv;!* 
planted in winter. This will hardly be believed in 
other silk countries ; but is a fact here. If your 
trees or cuttings are planted in 2;ood mulberrv soil, witli 
some little care, of course, a small quantity of worms 
can be fed the first year. 

12th. Others ask how many worms can be fed from 
one acre. This is very hard to tell, as it depends on a 
great many circumstances: First, on the quality of the 



236 THE CALIFORNIA 

soil. Second, on the amount of care given to the trees. 
Third, on the age of the trees, etc. So it is very diffi- 
cult to make an exact estimate ; we have to come to a 
general one, and make it as near as possible. 

13th. That an acre ivill produce from forty to four 
hundred pounds of silk, at a cost of not exceeding two 
dollars per pound, ready for market. The value of the 
raw silk is from six to eight dollars per pound, accord- 
ing to quality. The quantity must be determined by 
the circumstances above mentioned. 

14th. But for those that are not prepared to reel 
their own silk, they can sell their cocoons as they are, 
to the manufacturer, or sell them for exportation,! if they 
choose. As there is, and will be a great demand for 
them, one of our silk merchants, in our city of San Jose, 
has already asked me how many thousand pounds of 
cocoons I had to sell, as, he said, he would find me a 
purchaser, who would buy them immediately. In sell- 
ing cocoons, in proportion to the work done, they will 
have pretty much the same profits. 

15th. Each cultivator may make a calculation to 
suit his own soil and locality, by taking one hundred 
pounds of leaves for one pound of reeled silk. Forty 
thousand worms, well fed, will give fifteen pounds of 
silk ; an acre of trees, or stools, in good situations, and 
good soil, will certainly yield, here, at four years of 
age, from fifty to sixty thousand pounds of leaves, and 
probably more, which, at one hundred pounds per one 
pound of silk, will be five hundred pounds ; but we must 
leave a few thousand pounds for wastage, and then 



237 

the quantity will be still large enough. The leaves 
must be of the best quality to give a pound of silk to 
one hundred pounds of leaves ; it would require much 
more of watery leaves, or leaves grown in the shade. 

16th. Supposing, as an average, fifty-five thousand 
pounds of leaves to the acre, on stools four years old, 
this would, consequently, at one hundred pounds for 
each pound of silk, give five hundred and fifty pounds 
of silk, which, at seven dollars per pound, would be only 
$3,850 per acre. Now, the work to be done that year, 
to have the silk ready for market, according to our 
simplified culture, which is the only one to follow under 
our fine and dry climate — I have tried to calculate in 
different ways, and I find it always $840 and $850 — 
this would leave, then, a net profit of three thousand 
dollars per acre ; but supposing two hundred dollars 
more were needed, for things that I may have forgotten, 
(but I think not) it would still be two thousand and 
eight hundred dollars net profit per acre. This is 
about reasonable, and I would feel satisfied to have one 
hundred acres paying me in that proportion. 

17th. The business is rather new in this country 
but I would recommend that all would try it. This 
can be clone with a small expense, as we ought all to 
help each other to go into that enterprise, as it is the 
surest, the best, and the only one where competition 
need not be feared. Then I hope that a liberal spirit 
will pervade all classes throughout our silk State. 

18th. Now, another thing : it is well known that 
poorhouses and orphan asylums are public burdens 



288 THE CALIFORNIA 

upon our towns and cities, which have to support them. 
These different places could be relieved from these 
burdens by planting with mulberry trees all the farms 
that are connected with many of these establishments. 
The gathering of the branches, the feeding of the worms, 
the cleaning of the cocoons, etc., would be an agreeable 
pastime for the children and aged persons ; and this 
will have the advantage of learning the young a useful 
business for the future ; and also, in doing so, it will 
afford the institutions an opportunity of making them com- 
fortable, and have them well educated, in providing them 
with good teachers. They will be enabled also to give 
comfort to the poor and aged persons that have been 
driven there through adverse fortune, as a last resort, 
and have placed themselves under the public care, but 
are still possessed of the finer feelings of our nature. 

19th. If any of the above-named benevolent estab- 
lishments are still inside of the cities, and consequently 
not connected with any land to cultivate and work upon, 
it would be necessary that such establishments, for the 
benefit of all, should be removed to the country ; and I 
would suggest, in that case, that good mulberry land 
should be selected in a healthy locality, in view of the 
good health and comfort of the inmates ; such a locality 
will be ten times better for them, as they will have more 
of the pure air than they have in the cities, and the 
cities, at the same time, will be benefited thereby. 
These remarks I leave for consideration. 

20th. In these benevolent institutions, besides the 
raising of silk, that would keep them busy for about two 



SILK grower's manual. 289 

months only in the year, it would be easy for the young 
folks to-learn the reeling of the silk, particularly the young 
ladies, who are generally more capable for that work 
than the boys. Then, taking cocoons in from outside, 
would keep them busy a great portion of the year, by 
having them work only one part of the day, and the 
other part for their education. 

21st. If anything is done in these benevolent institu- 
tions, as I have said above, and managed right, I can 
say that thus the poor will be enabled to support them- 
selves, and enjoy the satisfaction of knowing that they 
are not entirely objects of charity, but earning their own 
living, under the direction of those that are more capa- 
ble of guiding the helm than themselves. Friends of 
humanity, do try the experiment, and I truly and sin- 
cerely believe in its good results. 

22nd. Besides the great profits that arise naturally 
from the raising of silk, those that will start in that busi- 
ness soon will receive the bounty from the State, which 
is three hundred dollars for each one hundred thousand 
of- cocoons, and also a bounty on their plantations ; but 
this will be only for three years more. Some may say, 
if the silk business is so profitable, why is it that the 
State gives bounties ? The answer is simply this : we 
have to look to the great body of farmers to engage in 
this business, and the farmers generally in all countries 
are slow to adopt improvements. But I think that our 
farmers in California will differ from the general v\\\c. 
as I show them how to do it, and have fully demonstrated 
the superiority of our climate over that of other prosper- 



240 THE CALIFORNIA 

ous silk countries ; and that particularly, also, our 
soil is so superior for the growth of the mulberry trees, 
that they have not to wait for the results, and are as- 
sured of regular and abundant crops, they will find that 
it is to their interests to go at it immediately. 

23rd. My object in publishing this Manual is, to be 
useful to all of you, in indicating how to go into the busi- 
ness, with or without capital, or hardly any ; as the one 
who has no capital can put his work, (which I know is 
equal to capital) he then can buy the seeds, sow, and 
take care of them, the following year he will have young 
trees to plant ; while those that have capital will not 
have to wait, as they can buy the trees, and they will 
have a crop immediately. Those that have a small cap- 
ital can buy the cuttings, and will then have a small 
crop the first year, as the cuttings are more certain than 
the seeds, and also grow more rapidly ; and, by having 
shown the different modes of propagating the mulberry, 
I expect by that to prevent its selling at high price, thus 
allowing every one to go into the business, according to 
their means. I wish also to prevent any mulberry fever , 
that benefits only few; I wish to seethe culture of silk, 
all over our silk State — that will benefit all. 

24th. The culture of silk is so important for a nation, 
that in Germany they came to be a silk country by com- 
pulsion ; laws have been enacted, , compelling every 
owner of land to plant mulberry trees and raise silk- 
worms : the result is known, they have become silk-pro- 
ducing countries. But here in California, I wish to com- 
pel our farmers in quite another way, and that is by 



SILK grower's manual. 241 

persuasion, in fully demonstrating to them that we are 
in the best silk country, so that before going into it, they 
may be fully convinced that they are going into the best 
and most profitable business for them and the country at 
large. 

25th. We are sending out about seven millions of dol- 
lars annually to import silk for our ladies ; and it is im- 
mense, the quantity of millions sent out for that article, 
if we take all the United States together. Every one 
of you understand the importance of retaining such a 
large amount in the country. But not only must we do 
all we can to raise enough for our own consumption, but 
also for exportation. 

26th. Why I address the farmers, and tell them the 
importance of the silk culture for them, is because they 
are the men qualified for it ; as, besides what I have 
said, there is another important point for them, and that 
is, that it does not interfere with their other crops ; it 
just comes at the moment they have least to do, and 
then, instead of interfering with the other crops, I find 
that they help each other, as the building needed for 
the worms, is also of great importance for the other pro- 
ducts of the farm. 

27th. The reeling of the silk will also, in future, be 
done by the farmers' wives and daughters. But, being in 
a hurry, as it is late in the season, I will prepare that 
article, and will have it in my second edition, with many 
other additions. 

28th. Count Hazzi states that seven to ten pounds of 
cocoons will make a pound of raw silk. In some silk 



242 THE CALIFORNIA 

countries, sometimes twelve pounds are necessary, while 
in California, when the culture shall be well understood, 
I think that no more than seven or eight pounds will be 
required. 

29th. One pound of silk, when well reeled, is capable 
of being converted into sixteen yards of the ordinary 
quality of Gros de Naples, or into fourteen yards of the 
first quality, and worth twice its weight in silver. 

30th. The reeling of silk in France and Italy is per- 
formed almost exclusively by females. In these coun- 
tries there are innumerable domestic filatures, where the 
cocoons, raised by one or more families, are reeled by 
the wives and the daughters of the farmers. These em- 
ploy from one to five or six reels, and the art of reeling 
is preserved in families from generation to generation. 
There are also, in these countries, large establishments, 
or filatures, which employ from fifty to five hundred reels. 
These establishments have a superintendent who is thor- 
oughly and practically a perfect master in the business 
in every department ; women there work at the reeling 
all their days as an exclusive occupation. At these large 
establishments the most perfect silk is reeled, which 
commands the highest price. 

31st. I wish to give you here a few facts that will 
certainly be more than sufficient to prove to you how 
easy the silk can be raised in California ; as, besides my 
cocoons, we had on exhibition at our agricultural fairs, 
specimens of good cocoons raised by the following per- 
sons : Mr. J. N. Hoag, Secretary of our State Agricul- 
tural Society ; Capt. Haynie, of Sacramento ; Mr. Tif- 



243 

foinet, of Columbia, Tuolumne County ; Miss Hattie 
Isaacs, of Sacramento ; Mrs. Sauffrignon, of San Jose* ; 
Miss Mary Johnson, of Sacramento ; Mrs. George A. 
Jones, Brannan Ranch, on the Feather River ; Hon. 
Teegarden, of Marys ville ; Mrs. Catharine Corbusier, of 
Sacramento ; Mrs. Stephen Davis, of Angel's Camp ; 
Mr. John Smith, of Sacramento ; Mr. Oliva, of Horni- 
tos, Mariposa County ; and among others that have been 
successful in raising the silk, and have not exhibited, arc 
Mr. Charles F. Reed, President of our State Agricul- 
tural Society, at his residence in Yolo County ; Mr. 
Wilson Flint, on the Sacramento River, near the city ; 
Mr. A. Packard, Santa Barbara ; Mr. G. Gluesing, 
San Joaquin Valley ; Mr. E. Goux, Santa Barbara, 
and many others that I have neglected to record their 
names. To all these persons I sent silkworms' eggs, or 
gave, to some, young worms, and all these persons suc- 
ceed in having the worms to perfection. This tells vol- 
umes about our fine climate, and shows how easy we can 
raise silk in California, as nearly all of them never saw 
a silkworm before. Mr. J. Q. A. Warren exhibited 
very fine and good cocoons raised by him, at Honolulu, 
(Sandwich Islands) from eggs that I sent him there. 

32nd. It was last year, 1865, that I made the first 
large exhibition that began to be appreciated. If we 
consider a moment the progress made in such a short 
time, we can hardly believe it ; as, besides the plantations 
of mulberry trees made, we have our pioneer silk man- 
ufactory. Mr. Joseph JSewmann has exhibited at our 
fairs the first California manufactured silk, made by 



244 THE CALIFORNIA 

himself and his brother, as both are practical silk weav- 
ers ; that silk has been generally admired, and consid- 
ered by all of the best quality. He is now making a 
fine show of a large quantity of that silk in Montgomery 
street, San Francisco. There is at that exhibition sam- 
ples of cocoons, as mentioned above, a lot of weavers' 
tools, a miniature silk winder, to show the process of 
reeling ; there is raw silk, floss silk, and silk in skein as 
taken from the cocoons, etc. - This exhibition attracts 
the crowd constantly, as every one foresees in that the 
foundation of a great enterprise which is bound to save 
millions to our State. 

33rd. As at San Jose the first silk of the State has 
been raised, it was due to the place to have the pio- 
neer silk manufactory, and land has been given for 
the erection of it near the city. Besides that, it is the 
natural place for such a manufactory for many reasons : 
the principal is, that San Jose is the healthiest place in 
California, and probably in the world, and is near San 
Francisco by railroad, and also that our water is so fine 
and soft, that it has been tried and found of first quality 
for the dyeing ; this is very important, as one of the 
reasons that makes the silk of Lyons (France) renowned 
all over the world, is its water ; and thus, we may ex- 
pect, that San Jose will eventually be the Lyons of Cal- 
ifornia. They have a large quantity of machinery 
already on the place, and some more on the way from 
the States, everything complete, from taking the silk 
from the cocoon up to manufacturing it in every style. 

34th. I am receiving three different silk papers from 



silk grower's manual. 245 

Europe, that give me information about everything per- 
taining to silk — transactions in silk and prices — all over 
the different silk countries ; and as we are becoming a 
silk country also, I will translate, from time to time, for 
the benefit of our California silk growers, the articles 
that I may find of some interest for them, and publish 
them in our leading papers. 

35th. America, by the skill and ingenuity of her peo- 
ple, has been enabled to compete with India and China, 
and even with the world, in the culture and manufacture 
of cotton ; is there an American who can doubt now 
that we shall do the same ere long with the silk ? 

36th. In all other works on silk raising, they have 
chapters on the diseases of the worms. We have no 
need in our California Silk Manual of such chapter, be- 
cause, as long as we shall be able to give our worms fresh 
food from mulberry trees that are growing under the 
genial rays of our sun, no disease can be expected, as 
the disease is in the food. It is my positive opinion, 
that these watery leaves, taken from trees, growing most 
the time in the shade, in a wet, damp atmosphere, 
are what create the disease ; I say, from trees growing 
in the shade, because, as long as the sun's rays do not 
strike on them, they are in the shade, no matter if it is 
caused by the clouds or anything else. 

37th. As I have many visitors coming for information 
about silk, and other things to attend, I have but little 
time left to me : thus I have been obliged to write this 
Manual in a hurry, and may have omitted some points ; 
but of anything that shall come to my knowledge of 



246 

any interest I will keep a memorandum, so as to make 
a more complete work of my second edition. However, 
I hope that I have said enough in this, my first essay, 
to put you on the track, and enable you to carry on the 
business profitably all over our silk State. But remem- 
ber, that I am at your service, always ready to tell you 
all I know, to enable you to go into this business imme- 
diately, because the sooner you will do it the better. 

L. P. 

San Jose, December, 1866. 



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